Shelter You
by InkHeart4112
Summary: Brandon, fresh out of a cell, is released back into the foster care system. Stef and Lena, mothers of four children that they've fostered and eventually adopted, have agreed to temporarily take him in. This is the story of his longing for a home, the struggles that taught him the true meaning of family, and how he fell in love with his foster sister. [Brallie AND family issues.]
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Well, it's been a _long_ time since I've posted anything. This'll be my first story for The Fosters, and believe me, I am so nervous. Sorry if it's rusty and awful. I just couldn't get this idea out of my head. This is my take on Brandon being the new addition to the Foster family, like Callie was. Her, and Jude will still be from the system, as well, though. It'll just be like the twins, where Stef and Lena adopted them eventually. This will be a Brallie story because I ship them to the moon and back, but I'll be sure to include main plots with the rest of the family as well. I might put in some things from the show, but overall, I'm trying to put this story on its own path. Alright, here goes.. Enjoy!

**I do not own The Fosters or its characters. **

[Brandon]

The rays from the sun and fresh breezes of wind hit my face as I walked down the pavement. It was as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders when I walked through the open gates of the Chula Vista Juvenile Detention Center. Standing on the sidewalk beside a dark green car was Bill, my social worker. He looks up from the file in his hands when he notices my presence and grins when I stop in front of him.

"Brandon, man. Great seeing you. You look.. good."

I give him a small smile back, although I'm mentally scoffing. I could tell he hesitated due to the current condition of my face. My cellmate, who I was usually on good terms with, was furious that I was being released before him. The result to his anger was me receiving a black left eye, a small cut on the right side of my lips, and several bruises covering the upper half of my body. My black v-neck covered most of the injuries, but a few on my arms were noticeable and one on my chest could partially be seen.

Shoving my hands into the back pockets of my dark jeans, I question, "So, how does this work? Are you just going to stick me in another group home?"

Tucking the file into his jacket, Bill replies, "Actually, Brandon.. Once I heard the news about you being released, I remembered some kids that I helped out in the past. They've all been fostered, and eventually adopted, by this one couple. I spoke with them, and, well, they had a soft spot for you. They agreed to letting you stay with them for a while, just until we find you a permanent home."

My eyebrows raise just a bit in shock from this announcement. Soft spot? Permanent? Yeah, right. This home isn't going to last long.

* * *

After half an hour of napping in the passenger seat of Bill's car, I'm awoken by someone nudging my shoulder. My eyes flutter open, and I realize that the car has been parked on the curb of a house. A nice house. A house that has no business being associated with a criminal.

Bill turns to me and says, "Brandon, be good. I know you think all foster homes are hell, but this family is different. I've worked with them for years, and they're great. It's really a blessing for them to be taking you in, so I don't want you fooling around or being a bad influence on the other kids. They know what it's like, okay? They've all been in the system, so don't go around, thinking they don't know what your life has been like. Got it?"

I nod, knowing he's just trying to look out for me, like he's done for the past eight years. Before Bill turns away, I blurt out, "What made them feel bad for me?"

I can tell he's taken aback by the question, but I'm clueless as to why. Teenage boy who just got out of jail isn't exactly similar to a stray puppy on the street that you take in because you pity it.

Bill sighs and answers, "They have a daughter that was in juvie before they fostered her."

So they adopted a girl fresh out of a cell. Interesting.

Bill opens the car door and steps out. Once the door shuts, I sigh and release myself from the seatbelt. Usually when Bill takes me to a new foster home, I feel nothing inside. Today's different. I feel like I have to prove something, but I'm not sure what it is.

_Now or never, Jacob. _

Bill opens the door for me, forcing me to exit. He walks toward the front door, me trailing behind him. With just a few knocks to the door, it's answered by a curly-haired woman. She smiles at Bill, but once she notices me, I swear that the corners of her mouth raise just a bit higher. A flash of sadness crosses through her eyes, probably due to the injuries.

She pulls the door open wider while saying, "You must be Brandon. Come on in."

Warming up to her cheerful aura, I step out from behind Bill and enter the house. I look around as Lena and Bill softly mutter to each other behind me. This place definitely has a home-feel to it. Down the hall, I hear the voices of others, a boy and a girl. Arguing, maybe. Once I hear the beeping of Bill's pager, I turn around.

He sighs and states, "Well, I've got to go. Lena, I'll come by tomorrow afternoon, if that works for you."

The woman, Lena, nods and responds, "Sounds good. Have a safe drive, Bill."

Bill looks towards my direction and gives me a wave, saying, "Be good, B. I'll see you tomorrow."

He spins on his heels and walks down to his car. Lena shuts the door and turns to me, the warm smile back on her face. She sticks out her hand, which I reply to by shaking it with my right one.

When we drop our hands, she says, "I'm Lena, it's nice to meet you. I'll warn you about my kids, though. We've informed them that someone will be staying with us for a while, but we haven't gotten into much detail. As far as they know, you're a 7 year-old girl from Oklahoma."

I can tell that she's trying to lighten the tense mood surrounding us, so I let out a light chuckle in appreciation. Lena begins to walk down the hall, her hand on my back, gently pushing me with her. She leads me into what I assume is the kitchen.

Hopping behind the stove, she states, "You came at the perfect time. We're about to serve dinner."

Walking towards a doorway, she calls, "Kids, come down to eat!"

Not knowing what else to do as she begins to set the table, I lean against one of the counters beside the stove. In under a minute, footsteps begin to rumble into the kitchen. A boy about my age stalks into the kitchen, a much shorter girl following close behind. The two take a seat across from each other in the middle of the island. A smaller boy enters, taking a seat on the farther end beside the other male. Once they are all seated, they look over and notice my presence. As I scan their eyes, I see different expressions. Pity, fear, and worry.

Lena notices and introduces, "Guys, this is Brandon. He's going to be staying with us for a while. Brandon, these are three of my kids. Sweetheart, you can sit down."

I nudge myself off of the counter and awkwardly walk to the end of the island, choosing to sit at the head. Immediately after, I regret my choice, seeing that I am now obviously the center of attention.

The girl smiles at me and happily states, "I'm Mariana."

I smile back and turn to the boys. The younger one smiles and greets, "I'm Jude. It's nice to meet you."

My grin widens at his politeness and the joyful gleam in his eyes. The older boy sticks his fists out and says, "Hey, man, I'm Jesus."

Unaware of what he was expecting, I awkwardly lift my right fist and bump it against his. He laughs as retreats his hand to his side.

"Wow, you don't get out much, huh?"

I laugh and nod. When Lena begins to put the food on the table, I hear the front door open and shut. In seconds, a girl with curly brown hair enters the room. Seeing as though the others are talking to one another, I am the first one to meet her eyes. As soon as she turns the wheels in her head, she smiles and walks toward me.

Taking a seat opposite of Jude and on the other side of me, she says, "You must be our guest. It's great to meet you. I'm Callie."

For the first time since I left the detention center, a genuine smile beams from my face. "I'm Brandon."

Once the whole table is set up and the conversations fade away, a blonde woman in a police uniform enters from a door that leads to the backyard. I stiffen up, which Callie notices, but I choose not to look in her direction. The woman greets the family and kisses Lena on the cheek, then the two sit across from each other at the end of the island. She notices me and smiles. However, when she notices the injuries, a reaction different from Lena appears. Shock.

"Brandon, right? I'm Stef. It's nice to meet you."

I give her a small grin, hoping she doesn't notice my uneasiness. Soon, everyone begins to pig in on the food. No wonder, it looks delicious. Considering I have to make a good first impression, though, I just get a small portion of lasagna. A light tap nudges at my feet underneath the table. I look to my right and see Callie staring at me.

She slightly leans in and whispers, "You can get more, y'know. In this house, it's like an insult if you don't fill your plate."

I softly chuckle as she sets two slices of garlic bread on my plate. The silence begins to escape once Jesus, with salad still in his mouth, utters, "So, what happened to your face?"

Lena and Mariana widen their eyes and shout, "Jesus!"

Swallowing, the teenage boy raises his hands in defense. I laugh and explain, "My cell mate got mad that I was leaving this morning."

At the sound of this, Jude raises his eyebrows. In a tone just above a whisper, he questions, "You were in juvie?"

I nod and take in a fork of lasagna. "You guys don't have to be scared or anything. I got caught up in this whole fake ID business at my old school, and it all backfired when the guy in charge blamed the whole thing on me."

After a few seconds of silence, Stef chirps in, "Let's not dig into Brandon's past, kids. No more being nosy."

As dinner flows by, so does the conversation. The others begin to tell me about Anchor Beach, the school that I have to start tomorrow. Apparently, Lena is the vice principal there. So a cop and a VP are okay with a juvenile delinquent living under the same roof as their precious children? This should be interesting.

After taking a sip of water, Lena turns to Callie and asks, "Honey, can you show Brandon around tomorrow? Principal Sanchez already emailed me his schedule. He has a few classes with you, and the ones he doesn't, they're on the routes you take."

Callie softly smiles and questions, "Yeah, sure. Same lunch period?"

Lena nods, so she turns to me and continues, "You'll love Anchor Beach. It'll be rough at first, being the new kid and stuff. Believe me, I've been through it. We all have. If you ever need anything, though, we're all here for you."

Jude leans in and adds, "Just remember that you have a foster mom that's a cop and another mom that's the vice principal."

Everyone laughs, even myself. This might not be so bad after all.

**I apologize if this chapter was awful. I wrote this at 4:30 AM to 6:30 AM, so my brain was wide awake, but the creativity wasn't flowing. Also, this was just to set the story up. Brallie in the next chapter, I promise. I'm about to begin writing it. Then I'll have Brandon start Anchor Beach in Chapter 3. **

**How was this though? Was it alright? Please let me know in a review! Tell me what you want to see, what you don't, what you liked, what you didn't, etc. Also, it just helps to know that people are actually reading. **

**Thank you for checking this out! :]**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Oh, goodness, thank you so much for the reviews. Honestly, I was just expecting one or two because it was such a boring chapter. Actually some of the best 18 reviews that I have ever seen. Really glad you guys like it so far! Let me just reply to some reviews to sort stuff out..

**jjrd: **Yes, more character plots will be included. I've already got an idea for Jesus's ADHD, and the Jude-blue nail polish situation from the show will be dealt with in Chapter 5 and 6 because I think it's a great concept. Thank you for choosing to read this, even though you don't like Brallie!

**Vacablanca: **I think the point of fanfiction is to give the show your own twist, y'know? So I'll be sure to make Brallie my own. Are there certain reasons why you don't like Brallie in the show? I can work on avoiding or altering those situations.

Oh, and to the guest that asked about him.. Wyatt will be a character in this story. He is briefly mentioned in Chapter 3 and is introduced officially in Chapter 4.

**I do not own The Fosters or the characters.**

[Callie]

Mariana and the boys were already upstairs, each of them having something to do right away. While Lena and Stef are washing the dishes, I stand up from my stool and reach to pick up my plate, but Brandon beats me to it. I look up and see that he has already piled his plate, mine, and Jude's into his hands, also reaching to grab Jesus's.

I laugh and tell him, "You don't have to do that. We're supposed to clean up after ourselves, and if we don't, punishment. Plus, you're a guest."

He bows his head down, a grin forming on his face. "Right, sorry. Force of habit."

With a small smile, I take mine and Jude's plates from him and walk over to the sink, where Lena is wiping the dishes off with a rag. I hand her the plates, and Brandon does the same. As I begin to walk out of the kitchen, Stef calls for me.

"Callie, can you show Brandon around the house? He's staying in the guest room."

I nod and motion for Brandon to follow me. We trail up the stairs together after I point to the living room and the backyard. Once we are at the top of the steps, I point to the rooms as I introduce them to him.

"That's Jesus's and Jude's room. There's mine and Mariana's. Right in between is the guest room, which I guess is now your room."

We enter the already open room. I turn on the lights, revealing the queen-sized bed parked in the corner, a keyboard in the corner opposite of the bed, and a door leading to the closet next to the foot of the bed. On the wall across the closet and bed was a wooden dresser with a full-body mirror beside it. On this wall was our "measuring ladders", where Stef and Lena used to measure our heights. A few pictures of different sceneries that I took were taped to the wall behind us, five 8 x 11 ones on each side of the door. The wall with the keyboard against it was covered with pictures of the family. I walk further into the room, sitting down on the corner of the bed as Brandon looks at the photos.

"Sorry that it doesn't look like an average guest room. This room used to be Stef and Lena's, because Stef's mom lived in their room. Once she moved out, they took that bedroom, and I moved in here. Mariana started having nightmares, though, so I moved back with her. Sorry about the keyboard, too. I'd move it into my room, but it doesn't really fit anywhere."

He raises his eyebrows and turns to me. "You play?"

I shrug and reply, "I know the basics, but it's Jude's. He used to play, but he stopped after-" I stop myself from revealing too much before I finish, "After I was gone for a while."

He nods and sits down on the stool behind the keyboard. "Juvie, right?"

My jaw drops a bit in shock. He chuckles and explains, "Bill told me on the way here. He told me that there was a girl here who got locked up once. I figured it was Mariana, but then you came in. You.. You had this look in your eyes that made the gears turn in my head."

I furrow my eyebrows and question, "A look?"

He nods and responds, "Yeah. A look that I knew, 'cause I saw it every day for eighteen months."

Shifting so he's facing me, Brandon asks, "What'd you get arrested for?"

I sigh and bite my lip. I just met this guy. I can't tell him, can I?

"My foster father accused me of assaulting him when I was trying to protect Jude."

Dammit. It came out of my mouth without a thought to it.

Brandon stares at me, as if he's trying to analyze something. After about ten seconds, I awkwardly begin to stand up while rambling, "Well, um, if you need anything, you know where to find me. The bathroom is right across the hall. Be warned… It's first come, first serve. Mariana takes forever getting ready."

As I walk out, a thought crosses my head. I turn around, seeing Brandon standing up and walking towards me.

"I forgot. If you need any clothes, I have a box of Mike's old stuff that you can have."

He furrows his eyebrows. "Mike?"

Realizing that no one has mentioned Mike to him, I explain, "He's Stef's ex-husband. Jesus used to wear his old clothes, but once he hit high school and developed a new fashion sense, all of it's been untouched."

Brandon nods and smiles. "Thanks for the help."

I smile back and reply, "It's no problem. Just let me know if you need anything."

With that, I turn on my heels and exit the room. Once I walk into my room, I'm hit with the strong scent of nail polish. On her bed is Mariana, painting her toes a bright yellow.

"_This_ is the urgent thing that you had to take care of?"

She grins as I sit down in front of her and says, "Hey, beauty waits for no woman," which causes us to laugh.

When she moves onto her right foot, she jokingly questions, "So, how does it feel having this hot sixteen year-old guy live next door to you?"

"You think Brandon's hot?"

She raises her eyebrows and responds, "You don't?"

I roll my eyes and reply, "Mariana, he's your _brother_."

She sticks up her left pointer finger and corrects, "_Foster_ brother, and it's only temporary."

Focusing back on her toes, she adds, "Besides, I'm not interested in the bad boy type. It's hot, but I wouldn't build a relationship with someone like that. I think you two would be cute, though."

I chuckle, "I'm sure my boyfriend agrees with that."

"Laugh all you want, but you can't control love."

**And that was Chapter 2. Yet another filler chapter. Hope it wasn't as bad as the first chapter, though. Drop a review and let me know what you thought? (:**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** I'm editing this for the billionth time as I watch Law and Order SVU, and man, how perfect is Sherri in this new episode?! Anyway, thank you so much for the great reviews, guys. To **Vacablanca**, I get what you mean. I'm not sure how to play out the Brallie relationship yet, but hopefully, it ends in a way that you're good with.

**IMPORTANT:** Okay, how would you guys like me to play out Wyatt? I'm torn between making him a decent guy, like in the show, or making him the jealous antagonist, somewhat like Talya. In Chapter 5, where you somewhat get to know him, I think I portrayed him more as the jealous type. I'll tell you now, though, that I do plan on Wyatt having a negative influence on Callie. I'm still thinking about how I could play that out while keeping Callie in character, but it's happening.

**I do not own The Fosters or the characters.**

[Brandon]

"Brandon... pssssst…."

My eyes flutter open at the sound of the hushed voice belonging to a person who was nudging my shoulder. Once my vision is clear, I see Jude kneeling beside me. I prop myself up, leaning on my right elbow, and rub my eyes.

He lets out a laugh and states, "Lena sent me up here to wake you up for school."

With that, he stands up and walks out of the guest room. I sigh and get off the bed, grogginess leaving my body with every move I make. I look over to the digital clock on the wooden dresser and read the neon green writing on it.

_7:00 AM _

I stretch until I can operate well enough. I look at myself in the mirror and realize that I fell asleep in the same clothes from yesterday – a black V-neck and skinny jeans. In the background, however, I see a cardboard box sitting in front of the closet door. I spin around and kneel down beside the box, opening up the wings of it. Inside were piles of clothes, as well as a Ziploc that contained a hairbrush and a toothbrush on top. I smile slightly at the thought of the family trying to help me out.

I pull out the Ziploc, along with a flannel shirt and a white tank top. I stand up, set the stuff onto the bed, and take off my shirt. A pain surges through my body. I turn around to face the mirror and recall the fight from yesterday. With a sigh, I run my hands over the _very_ large purple bruise on my right shoulder. Several smaller bruises stood out on my arms, and one slightly smaller one covered the left side of my chest. I slip on the white tank and put the flannel shirt over it, leaving it unbuttoned and rolling the sleeves up to my elbows. My outfit can reveal some of the injuries on my arm, as well as half of the bruise on my chest and a bit of the one on my shoulder. Once I think I look decent enough, I dump the brush and toothbrush out of the Ziploc and pick up the hairbrush. Luckily, Bill took me for a quick haircut before we arrived at the Foster's residence so I could make a good impression. My hair was still disheveled, but it looked better than before. I brushed down the parts sticking out and toss the brush to the pillows on the bed. After picking the toothbrush up, I trudge out of the room.

As soon as I enter the hall, the smell of fresh pancakes hits me. Considering I haven't had a real breakfast in years, this makes my mouth internally water. Taking a few steps forward, the bathroom door flies open as soon as I approach it. Mariana stands in the doorway, somewhat taken aback by me.

"Oh, morning, Brandon."

I give her a small smile and reply, "Morning, Mariana."

She walks past me and rushes into her room. I enter the bathroom and shut the door behind me. Instead of the aroma of pancakes, I now smell a bunch of perfume. _Girls. _After a few coughs, I quickly brush my teeth with the toothpaste already on the sink, leave the toothbrush in a cup with the other brushes, and walk out. Right as I do, Jesus walks out of his room.

He grins at me and says, "Hey, man. Ready for hell?"

He begins walking down the stairs, so I follow while chuckling, "18 months in juvie, and I'd still rather be there than high school."

We laugh together as we enter the kitchen. Everyone else was already there, munching at the breakfast on the table. Jesus takes a seat at the head of the table, where I sat yesterday, while I sit between Mariana and Jude. As I look around, I notice Callie reach into a basket behind her, pull out a pill bottle, and toss it to Jesus. With ease, he twists open the cap of the small cylinder and lets two blue and red pills fall into his palm. He slaps the pills into his mouth and gulps down some of his orange juice. Once he swallows, he notices me looking at him.

"ADHD."

I nod, understanding because I had a foster sister who had ADHD as well. Like Callie did at dinner, Jude picks up a couple of pancakes with his fork and sets it on my plate.

He smiles, leans into me, and whispers, "I know it might be awkward taking food. I was like that on my first day, too."

I grin at him and ruffle his hair. When he resumes to eating his toast, I look across the island and see Callie smiling at her little brother. She notices me and shoots me the same smile.

After taking a sip from her yellow mug, Stef says, "Cals, Momma's dropping me off at work on her way to her doctor's appointment, so we need you to drive everyone to school in your car."

Callie nods and continues to eat her breakfast. While fumbling with her scarf, Lena calls, "It's 7:30, you guys have to go!"

Everyone gets up from their stools and shove the last bits of their breakfast into their mouths. I, on the other hand, just scratch the back of my neck. Although everything looked tempting, my pancakes remained untouched. Stef hands out four paper bags, probably lunches, to each kid, which they stuff into their backpacks. Seeing me, she gives me a soft grin and pulls another bag out from behind her back.

She hands it to me while saying, "It's peanut butter and jelly, same as Jude's. I wasn't sure what you liked."

I smile and reply, "No, this is great. Thank you."

**/ - / - / - / - /**

I ended up in the passenger seat of the beat down, emerald Nissan. Jesus and Mariana were arguing about something in the backseat while Jude sat between them.

"Shut up, idiot!"

"Don't be stupid, Mariana!"

"It's _my_ room."

"No one deserves that room more than I do!"

Turning to Callie, I see her roll her eyes before screaming, "Shut up!"

All noise in the car comes to a halt. Dropping one hand from the wheel, she asks, "What are you two fighting about now?"

In the rearview mirror, I see Mariana point to Jesus and yell, "He's trying to move into the guest room!"

Jesus scoffs, "She's acting like she can stop me. I can't focus in half a room!"

"Duh, you have ADHD!"

Callie groans and shouts, "Hey, that's enough!"

Breaking out of his quiet shell, Jude says, "If anyone's getting that room, it's me. You guys are off to college in a few years. I have the most time in the house left."

Jesus widens his eyes and argues, "No way, you're the smallest one! That room's bigger than the rest of ours!"

Suddenly, the car jerks to the right, causing all of us to roughly slide over. I process the situation and realize that Callie had swerved the car into the parking lot of some fast food joint. She takes her hand off the wheel and turns her head so she's facing the three in the back.

"Listen, and listen good. Nobody's moving into the guest room. Got it? That's Brandon's room."

I open my mouth to object and say that I don't consider myself living there, but Mariana interrupts, "Wait, you're permanently staying with us?"

I look back in the rearview mirror and see their expressions. The only emotion I can spot is curiosity. I shrug and answer, "You guys don't have to worry. I'll be someone else's problem in less than a month."

Jesus raises an eyebrow. "They found a family to adopt you?"

Turning my head so I'm now looking out the window, I respond, "Probably not, but once you guys don't want me anymore, or when I screw up and do something bad, I'm just going to be sent to a group home."

The aura suddenly becomes tense. I can tell that they're shocked and uncomfortable with what I just said, but hey, it's true. After a few seconds or so, the car begins to move onto the road. We drive for about a minute until Callie stops at a red light. Once we're fully still, she plugs her phone into a black wire connecting to the radio. All of the sudden, Same Changes by The Weepies began to softly blare from the speakers. My heart feels like it's jumped at her good taste in music, but I don't show any external reaction to it.

As Callie begins to drive again, I mention, "I didn't know you could hook your phone up to a car like this."

She chuckles and explains, "Wyatt did it for me."

"Wyatt?"

Done fighting with Jesus, Mariana states, "He's Callie's boyfriend."

I slightly sit up straighter as I quietly mumble, "Oh."

_Boyfriend_.

**I changed up this chapter like four times, and it still turned out boring. I added the "moving into the guest room" thing just to show how the family interacts with each other and to get some words from Brandon.**

**I'm sorry that this story has a rough start. Hopefully you'll like the next chapter. It'll be Brandon's actual first day at Anchor Beach, more Brallie, and Wyatt will officially be introduced. Drop a review and let me know what you think? Also, be sure to add in suggestions! I'm completely open to what y'all want to include. (:**

**Be sure to answer the question in the beginning author's note!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Thank you for the reviews, guys! Feel free to tell me whatever's going on in your mind. Opinions are appreciated, suggestions are taken into consideration, and theories are always wonderful to hear. I'm really glad that people are reading this story, but I'd like to know what y'all are thinking, too. Also, be sure to tell me whether you want Wyatt to be the jealous enemy or a decent guy!

**I do not own The Fosters or the characters.**

[Brandon]

I can't help but gape at the school Callie pulls up to. As soon as she fully parks the car, I slightly lean forward and peak over the dashboard, taking in the view of the ginormous building shining in the bright sunlight. Behind me, I hear both backseat doors being opened and then closed. Once I hear Callie open her door, I shake my head out of my envy and get out of the car myself. I close my door as Jesus pops open the trunk of the old, small car, pulling out his backpack. Mariana and Jude do the same as Callie pulls her bag out from the car floor and slings it over her right shoulder.

While shutting her door and looking at her phone, she says, "Okay, Lena just texted me that she's leaving school early to meet up with Bill, so I'm driving us home."

Jesus and Mariana nod and begin to walk towards the building. Jude walks over to Callie and gives her a hug. She kisses his forehead while mumbling, "Good luck on your math test, buddy."

The younger boy smiles at her before running over to a large tree with a taller boy standing beside it. The two start to talk as they walk towards the right side of the building. After closing the ancient car's trunk, Callie starts walking the way the twins went, motioning for me to follow. After stuffing the paper bag lunch into the old shoulder bag Jesus gave me, I jog up to her.

"I can't believe you go to school _here_."

Callie laughs and jokes, "Oh, yeah, it's great here. We get a free smoothie and $200 for every question we answer in class."

I chuckle and continue to walk beside her on the grass. As we walk, it feels as if a million pairs of eyes are on us, whispers and murmurs also being present.

"_What's he doing with Callie Foster?"_

"_He looks like a serial killer. Or a drug dealer. Maybe he just got out of rehab."_

"_Did he just get out of a gang or something? His face is all black and blue."_

"_What happened to his chest?"_

"_She better watch her back. He'll probably mug her by_ _the end of the day."_

I roll my eyes and mentally scoff at all the ridiculous comments I hear. Callie must've noticed the students around us, because once we hike up the concrete steps leading to the main door, she turns to me with a sad gleam in her eyes.

With a voice just above a whisper, she says, "Listen, a few years ago, I was in the same position on my first day. Just remember that in the scheme of things, what these people think of you is nothing."

Although I've been through this type of thing before and know to ignore the judgment of others, I simply smile in appreciation that she's trying to comfort me. I nod, letting her know that it's okay. Callie sighs, smiles, and walks over to the door. I grab the handle and hold it open for her.

As she walks in, she smirks. "I'm impressed."

I follow her inside while chuckling, "Juvie is no excuse for not being a gentlemen."

We laugh as we walk down the hall together. All of the sudden, the chatter around us fades away to silence. With no exaggeration whatsoever, everyone in the hallway stares at me as I follow Callie. She continues to ignore it, just focusing on my schedule in her hands that she pulled out from her bag. This time, I don't bother to contain my scoff. Once I let it escape my mouth, I hear a soft laugh come from Callie, making me grin. After a few more turns and several more stares, we stop in front of a corner locker beside a pair of water fountains.

Callie gestures to the locker while saying, "Here it is. Locker 184. Your combination's right there at the top of the paper. Lena said that the counselor already put some supplies for you in there. If you want, you can just lug everything around with you in your backpack, but I usually just go to my locker after lunch to get my stuff for the second half of the day. I'll just let you get adjusted here while I go to my locker."

Turning to her side, she points halfway down the hall to another set of lockers and adds, "I'll be right down there. Once you're done, just come over to me."

I nod and start turning the combination of my locker as Callie begins walking down the hall to hers. After a few tries, I finally pull the latch open with success. Inside the locker, five wide spirals rested on the top shelf. On the right hook was a plastic bag full of supplies – pencils, pens, a ruler, notebook paper, and folders. I glance at my schedule to see what I should take with me.

_8:10 – 8:55 / History, Parker  
9:00 – 9:45 / World Languages, Welch  
9:50 – 10:35 / Music Appreciation, Lambert  
10:40 – 11:25 / Chemistry, Ramirez  
11:30 – 12:15 / Lunch  
12:20 – 1:05 / Study Hall  
1:10 – 1:55 / Algebra, Thomason  
2:00 – 2:45 / Athletics, Richardson  
2:50 – 3:35 / Literature, Timothy_

History, World Languages, Music Appreciation, and Chemistry. Based on my past experience with some of these classes, I decide to shove a package of notebook paper, a couple sharpened pencils, two spirals, and two folders into my bag. Once I'm prepared, I shut my locker and walk over to Callie, once again ignoring the looks from my peers. Callie slides a notebook into her bag before shutting her locker and turning to me.

She tilts her head and says, "First period doesn't start for another 15 minutes. Want to wait in the quad?"

I shrug and nod. She spins on the heels of her combat boots and begins to walk towards a red door at the end of the hallway. Once we reach the door, Callie pushes it open and holds it for me. I thank her while slipping outside, only to be met with the sight of several lunch tables on the grass. I follow Callie to an empty table in the corner and sit down on one of the benches while she sits on the table itself.

Recalling my schedule in her head, she tells me, "You lucked out on your classes. You have study hall right after lunch, like me, so it's nearly two hours of free time. Athletics at the end of the day, right? You're with Jesus in that class. Oh, and Music Appreciation is great. It's like a class of ten, and basically, we just play the instruments in the music room."

"Sounds good."

As Callie begins to look around the quad, I can't help but analyze her. Her eyes are squinted due to the sunlight, and she's biting her bottom lip. I'm not sure why, but this causes me to smile. Unfortunately, Callie notices and laughs.

"Why are you smiling at me?"

I smirk and reply, "You remind me of myself."

She furrows her eyebrows and questions, "How so?"

I shrug and simply state, "I think you feel like you're a grenade."

She chuckles, "A grenade? And what's that supposed to mean?"

I rest my elbows on the table and reply, "You think that one day, you're going to blow up and destroy everyone in your path. You've stopped letting people in, in an attempt to prevent all that. You've warmed up to me, but I can tell that you don't trust me. It's okay, though. I don't trust you, either. You, your moms, your siblings…"

Instead of being hurt and angry like I expected, Callie scoffs with a sly smile, "You're somewhat on point. I don't trust you, and you don't trust me, but I can tell you now that one day, you're going to change. I mean, I did. When I first met Stef and Lena… I couldn't have been more reserved if I tried. I thought I could be my own hero, but I couldn't. Things got too hard. Then I warmed up to them, and I let them help me with my problems. Life got easier once I had people to help me fight my own battles."

I'm not even sure why, but the corners of my mouth slightly rise. I open my mouth to respond, but before I can get out a word, a figure approaches us. He wraps an arm around Callie's shoulders and kisses her right temple.

"Hey, babe."

Callie turns to him and greets, "Hi, Wy. Oh, hey, meet Brandon. He's staying with us for a while."

This must be Wyatt. The shaggy-haired male turns to me, a look of coldness quickly flashing in his eyes. He stiffly sticks out his hand while saying, "Hey, bro. I'm Wyatt."

I would've rolled my eyes at his failed attempt of being friendly if it weren't for Callie sitting right there. I shake his hand and a smile that was sarcastic, in a way, forms on my face.

Callie snaps her fingers, remembering something, and says, "Hey, you guys have first period together." She turns to Wyatt before adding, "Do you mind taking Brandon to history with you? I want to see Jude before he takes his test."

I can tell that he, like me, isn't really interested in that idea, but he sighs and nods. "Yeah, sure, babe."

Well, this should be fun.

**Hmmmm.. I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter. Sorry if it's rusty. I wrote this at 3 AM. But anyway, there you go! A little more Brallie moments, as well as Wyatt and Brandon meeting. The next chapter will include the two of them actually having a conversation and some Brandon-Jude stuff.**

**Be sure to let me know your opinions, suggestions, theories, and your answer to the Wyatt question in a review! **

**P.S. I just wanted to let you guys know that if you feel like giving up on this story because it's just so boring and slow, hopefully Chapters 6 and 7 will change your mind. I absolutely _loved_ writing them, and I feel like you guys will like reading 'em. It really dealt with the family dynamic, which I for sure enjoy in the show, so please, stick around for that? Also, for the hardcore Brallie shippers, like myself... Chapters 9 and 10. (:**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **Gah, you guys are so great. The reviews made me smile from ear-to-ear. Especially yours, **xoElle23**! Thank you, you very lovely readers. Okay, and about Wyatt... more people have voted for him to be the jealous antagonist, but some have said that they want to keep him as a nice guy. **Tazbb12 **had a really great idea on how to make it the best of both worlds! She suggested making Wyatt like Ross from Friends. A nice guy who lets his jealousy get the best of him and cause him to do not-so-great things. Really, I think that's how Talya was in the show, so I think that's a good idea. What do y'all think?

**QUESTION: **How would you guys feel about me exposing more of a rough personality to Brandon? I really don't want to describe it this way, but since it's the only other phrase popping up in my mind.., The "bad boy" type. That was my intention when I started this story, to have him be this tough character who slowly evolved back into his old, warm-hearted self, but I guess I forgot about that concept while focusing on other stuff. I don't want to just all of the sudden toughen him up him now, but I think it'd kill the idea of the story if I didn't, considering this was supposed to be about how the family changed Brandon. Thoughts?

**I do not** **own The Fosters or the characters.**

[Brandon]

"What happened to you? No offence or anything, just curious about all the bruises and the black eye."

I run my tongue over the healing cut on the right side of my lips before replying, "Mishap in... Never mind."

He nods as we continue to walk down the hall. "So, how long are you staying with the Foster's?"

Casual question? Nah. More like, "When can you get away from my girlfriend?" I simply shrug and continue looking forward.

He shoves his hands in his pockets and continues, "You really don't know? A month? Six months? A year?"

With no emotion whatsoever, I state, "It's not really up to me."

He nods and focuses his attention on the floor. "Right, well, we should get you to some parties. You know, so you can meet more people. It must be boring hanging out with Jesus and Callie all the time."

Can this guy make it more obvious? I roll my eyes right as we approach an open classroom door. I follow Wyatt in and see that a lot of students are already seated. Someone taps on my shoulder, causing me to turn around. A short woman with shoulder-length blonde hair stands before me.

She smiles and greets, "Hi, I'm Mrs. Parker. You must be Brandon Jacob. Mrs. Adams told me about you. You actually have great timing, because we're starting a new unit today. Here, why don't you just take a seat right there in the second row."

I nod and sit down at the vacant desk on the end of the second row. Just my luck, the hair model sat to the right of the guy behind me. As Mrs. Parker goes back to her desk, I feel a foot nudge at my leg. I turn around to look at the boy behind me, who just points at Wyatt.

Wyatt leans closer and quietly says, "Hey, I just remembered. Mateo here's having this huge party at his house on Friday. Want to come? I already told Callie and the twins about it last week.

I look over at the guy behind me, probably Mateo, and see him shooting me a devious smirk. While turning back to my desk, I respond, "Sorry, not interested."

Wyatt scoffs, "You sure, bro? Liquor and girls. It'll be like your welcoming party."

I decide to ignore him and just keep staring forward. I had a feeling that this guy wasn't just inviting me to be friendly.

* * *

_10 AM_

First and second period flew by, and before I knew it, I was in Music Appreciation with Callie. She briefly introduced me to Mr. Lambert before taking me to the side of the room, apart from our seven other classmates. Callie set herself onto a stool, pulling a guitar onto her lap. Not knowing where else to sit, I took a seat on a bench behind a keyboard.

As Callie strummed a few chords, I jokingly question, "So, what's the deal with that Wyatt guy? Does he have a bunch of secrets in his mop of a head or something?"

She laughs and replies, "He's a nice guy."

I roll my eyes and, with a smirk, scoff, "Yeah, sure. I bet you only like him 'cause he's just _so_ mysterious and dreamy. That's what girls are into, right?"

Still looking at the neck of the guitar, she replies, "You should know, considering that's who you are."

With a corky raise to my eyebrow, I tease, "You calling me dreamy, Foster?"

She rolls her eyes, but I see a smile growing on her face. Once she looks up, I briefly look down at my lap before mentioning, "Wyatt told me about his friend's party on Friday. Are you guys going?"

I'm not sure why, but Callie froze. Not out of fear or nervousness, just out of shock. She looks up, shakes her head, and casually looks back down at the guitar. "Um, no. Jesus and Mariana aren't allowed at parties without me anymore."

I furrow my eyebrows and ask, "Why not?"

She shrugs and explains, "The moms let them go to this party alone a few months ago, and, well… Jesus got into a fight, and since he wasn't watching Mariana, she got really drunk."

Although it was the wrong time to do so, I stifle out a laugh. Surprisingly, Callie looks up and laughs along with me. After biting the inside of my cheek, I question, "So why don't you go with them?"

She stiffens slightly but ignores it and responds, "I don't want Jude to be exposed to that kind of life, parties and alcohol and all. I can't exactly prevent that from happening when I'm being part of it myself. "

Somehow, I end up smiling. "You're a great sister."

A grin slowly tugs at her lips, making my smile widen. "Why thank you. Do you have any siblings?"

I nod and respond, "I used to, but that was before…"

Setting the guitar on its stand, she questions, "Before what?"

I look down at my lap, in hopes to avoid answering her. Luckily, it works. Callie, instead, gets up from her stool and sits to my left on the keyboard's bench.

Steering off the previous topic, she asks, "Can you play?"

Shrugging, I state, "I used to."

She nods as she raises her hands and rests them on the keys. After about five seconds, she presses her fingers down as she glides across the keyboard, playing a concert C scale. My eyebrows slightly raise, an impressed expression across my face. I wasn't sure what she meant last night by, "I know the basics." I don't know what took over my body, but once she rested her hands back on her lap, I pull my hands up to where hers once were. Slowly, I begin to play a piece that I remembered from years ago. With each key I pressed, from the corner of my eye, I watched Callie's facial expressions change.

Shock.

Curiosity.

Happiness.

* * *

_12:17_

As Mariana picked up her crumpled paper bag from the lunch table, she stated, "Normally Jesus eats with us, but he had lunch detention today."

I nod, continuing to finish up my PB&J sandwich, while Callie and Mariana say goodbye to each other. After Mariana rushes off into the building, Callie turns to me and asks, "Want to stay outside for study hall?"

I shrug and reply, "Yeah, sure."

We get up from the table and throw our trash away as we walk towards a large tree. Once Callie sits down beside the tree, I follow her lead and do the same, sitting across from her.

She pushes her hair behind her ear and questions, "So, how's your first day at Anchor Beach going?"

I chuckle, "It's perfect. I sit by your little Romeo in History, I don't understand one word that comes out of my World Languages teacher's mouth, and my lab partner in Chemistry sucks, but other than that, it's _awesome_."

We laugh, girls on the sidewalk passing by as we do so. Callie has her back turned to them, so she can't see their pointing, but I'm sure she can hear the whispers and murmurs.

I roll my eyes and sarcastically add, "Oh, and the judgmental people are incredible."

Callie sighs in agreement and responds, "Believe me, it could've been worse. If you weren't staying with the school's vice principal and a cop, you'd be jumped in every classroom that you step foot in."

* * *

_1:56 _

Right as Callie and I exited Algebra, Jesus walked in front of us. He smiles at me while greeting, "Hey, man, ready for Athletics? Coach Richardson's a hard ass, but as long as you keep your mouth shut with the complaining, you'll be fine."

The three of us laugh as we walk down the hall. Callie turns to Jesus and questions, "Hey, can you walk Brandon to the gym? I forgot to give Mariana back her Literature journal, and since she has Timothy's class right now…"

Jesus nods and replies, "Yeah, sure."

She thanks him before rushing off to a hallway to our right. After about a minute of walking and turning through halls, we reach the two large red doors of Gym B. I step forward to push the doors open, but Jesus steps in front of me before I can.

"Hey, I need to run to my locker really quick so I can get my extra gym uniform for you. It's right down the hall, I'll be right back."

He spins on his heels and runs down the hallway to a set of lockers beside one of the exits. I shrug and take a few steps back, to lean against the wall opposite of the gym. Looking down the left, I see many younger kids, rushing into the classrooms also in this hall. Amongst the sea of students is Jude. However, instead of walking to class like everyone else, he's being repeatedly pushed against a set of lockers by a taller boy. Jude looks like he's trying to escape, but two other boys with their arms on his shoulders stop him. I nudge myself off of the wall and bolt down to them.

"You wanna be a girl or something, Foster? You hanging out with your lesbian moms too much?"

Still trying to shake out of the grasp of the boys, Jude mutters, "Leave me alone, Bryan."

As soon as I'm close enough, I push the boy shoving Jude off of him. His little sidekicks take notice, let go of Jude's shoulders, and fly off.

Towering over the little bully, I shout, "You think that's funny, huh? _Back off_."

The younger boy immediately takes the hint and runs down the hall, the same direction as his friends. When I turn around, I see tears brewing in Jude's eyes. I open my mouth to say something, but he moves away and starts rushing down the hall.

I follow while calling, "Jude, wait!"

Before I can reach him, he bolts into a classroom beside the gym, slamming the door behind him.

**And that's Chapter 5. Quite long, still boring. Hope you guys enjoyed it though. Drop a review to let me know your opinions, suggestions, and answer to the Brandon question above! Also, feel free to comment what you think might happen. Theories are always interesting. (:**

**Heads Up: Next chapter will include Lena and Stef talking to Bill, as well as Brandon and Jude discussing the bullying scene above. Out of the eight chapters I've written so far, this one's tied with Ch. 7 as my favorite. **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **Aww, come on, guys? Just three reviews?

**Tazbb12: **I didn't even think of that idea! Thanks for the help(: You could write this story better than I can, aha.

**xoElle23: **No, I totally understand what you meant! Thank you so much for the idea. I was thinking the same thing, to have some event trigger Brandon convert back to his old self.

I was going to talk about this in Chapter 5, but I already had so many author's notes in there, so I decided to stick it in here. Okay, who heard about Ashley Argota playing **Lou**?! First off, I am so relieved and happy. I really was not going to handle it well if some actress I had no clue about came in and interfered with my Brallie. I love Ashley, and I think she's going to be flawless as Lou. Second.. my goodness. It's Ashley Argota. Knowing how perfect she is and how incredible they make her character seem, this breaks my heart. What are y'all's thoughts about this? Oh, and **OUTLAWS**. Who saw the clip of Brandon singing it in the next episode? "Callie's Song". Oh my goodness, the tears.

**I do not own The Fosters or the characters.**

[Lena]

Running my hand over Brandon's mug shot picture, I can't help but have a wave of sadness hit my heart. Although the camera portrayed him as a rebellious fifteen year-old with bloodshot eyes, I could see the fear in his eyes. I set the manila folder on the counter so Stef can see it as well, both of us eyeing the criminal record section of Brandon's foster care file.

I look up from the paper on top of the stack and ask, "What's his story, Bill?"

The social worker sighed before answering, "Brandon's parents divorced when he was five, and his father was given custody. However, once Mr. Jacob died two years later, the court ruled Brandon's mother still too unstable to raise the children. While-"

Stef raised her eyes to set on Bill and interrupted, "_Children_?"

The man nodded and continued, "While she was in rehab, Brandon and his 4 year-old brother were put into the system. They were in the same home for six months until their mother was released. Just a few months after she was officially given custody, the three were involved in a car accident that, unfortunately, killed Brandon's brother. His mother fled the scene, and he hasn't seen her since. Seven years later, he'd already been in 13 foster homes."

A thought hitting my head, I question, "What did he get arrested for? He told us that he got caught in some fake ID business, but I don't think that's the whole story."

Bill sets his elbows on the counter and explains, "When Brandon was fifteen, he and his friends started making fake IDs, sort of like a get-rich-quick scheme. However, things began to get more serious. They switched over to handing out liquor for parties. He was sentenced to 18 months for underage drinking and selling alcohol to minors."

Leaning over the counter slightly, he adds, "Brandon's an incredible kid, really. I was a friend of his dad's, and whenever I would visit, I'd see this amazing boy who had a love for piano. He's just had a really troubled life, and that's changed him. I'm really working hard on finding him somewhere permanent, and maybe…"

As his sentence trails off, Stef and I realize what he's inferring. I widen my eyes while saying, "Bill, you know we'd love to, but we have our hands full as is."

Stef slides the file back to Bill while adding, "We've got three teenagers and a tween. I don't think another boy is going to make this house run any smoother."

Closing the file, he replies, "Please consider it. I know it'd be hard, but Brandon isn't in a good place right now. He's sixteen years-old with a criminal record. I'm sure you two can understand, considering Callie was fresh out of a cell when you decided to foster her, not to mention the fact that her and Jude had been with 10 families in 3 years."

While standing up from his stool, he gives us a sympathetic look while asking, "Can he at least stay here until we find him a home?"

Stef and I share a look, grief present in both of our eyes. After nodding to each other, I turn to him and respond, "Brandon can stay here for as long as he needs to."

With a nod, Bill walks out while saying, "I'll show myself out. Thank you, ladies. I'll be sure to call to check up on him."

As soon as the last word escapes his mouth, the sound of the front door opening and closing is present. Stef sighs and buries her head in her hands.

I rub her back as I reply, "He has a point. Callie was in the same position just three years ago, but we grew to love her and accept her into this family."

Lifting her head up and grabbing my hand with hers, Stef responds, "Lena, I feel for Brandon, but we can't handle another kid right now. Callie's getting serious with Wyatt, Mariana's close to having horny teenage boys pounce on her, Jesus is serving his virginity on a silver platter at every chance he gets, and Jude… Oh goodness, I don't know anything bad going on in Jude's life, and that somehow scares me."

I laugh and rub my thumb against the back of her hand. "I know, honey, but… You should've seen him earlier today. I wanted to talk to him, so I called him to my office. As soon as I closed the door, he asked me if he did something wrong and _apologized_. The twins did the exact same thing when we were fostering them, and so did Callie and Jude. Twenty minutes, and my heart had already broke a hundred times."

In a voice above a whisper, she points out, "Honey, he has a _criminal record_."

Defensively, I state, "And so does Callie."

Giving up, Stef puts her hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay, point taken. Let's just see how he interacts with us and the kids, and then we'll have this conversation. The guy's only been here for a day."

I sigh as she kisses my forehead and walks over to the pile of bills sitting beside the stove. Shifting in my stool so I can see her, I ask, "Hey, babe, what do you think about inviting Mike over for dinner some time this week? If Brandon's going to be staying here for a while, I think the two of them should meet."

Still looking at one of the envelopes, Stef replies, "Yeah, sure, sweetie. I'll ask Callie text him to see what day he's not working the night shift when she gets home."

Looking around, I remember that the atmosphere is quiet and kid-free, which sparks my question, "Where are the kids anyway? They should be home by now."

While flipping through the stack, Stef answers, "I think I heard Callie and Jude saying something about swinging by the library after school to drop off some books."

Once the words leave her mouth, I hear the front door being unlocked and opened. Soon, the calm atmosphere is trampled by overlapping voices. The kids enter the kitchen and walk around to give Stef and myself hugs.

After kissing Jude on the cheek, I ask, "How was your first day at Anchor Beach, Brandon?"

Brandon, who awkwardly stood to the side while the others made themselves comfortable, replied, "Um, it was good. Thank you, again, for putting me back in school. If there are any fees that you need me to pay or anything-"

Looking up from the mail, Stef interrupts, "Sweetheart, you don't need to worry about any money issues. You just focus on your schoolwork, and that will be enough."

Eying our four kids, she jokingly adds, "And that goes for _all_ of you."

After a few laughs, I mention, "Hey, kids, we've invited Mike over for dinner some time this week, so he can meet Brandon. Everyone okay with that?"

The kids nod and mutter that they're fine with it.

* * *

[Brandon]

"Come in!"

Slowly, I push the bedroom door open, revealing Jude reading a book on his bed. He stiffens up as I enter his room. I keep my eyes focused on the ground as I sit down beside him.

Shutting his book, the young boy quietly whispers, "Thank you for sticking up for me in school."

Looking over to him, I furrow my eyebrows and ask, "Jude, why did you run away? Were you embarrassed about being bullied?"

He shakes his head, continuing to stare down at the book in his lap. Barely audible, he states, "I was embarrassed about why I was being bullied."

With a worried expression evident on my face, I question, "Why, bud?"

He remains silent, hanging his head down in shame. I sigh and say, "Listen, I know it might be hard to trust me. I'm a teenage criminal that was forced into your house just yesterday. You never have to be afraid of me, though. If I'm going to be here for a while, I want to make sure that I don't make you feel anything but safe."

Seeing as that didn't work, I look down at my own lap and continue, "You remind me of myself, back when I was a kid." Jude looks over to me, but I focus my attention on my hands below me, "You're happy and innocent, just like I used to be. Seeing you not full of joy makes me sad, because I remember what it was like to be down like that, and if I could, I'd take back everything in my life that made me feel that way. I can't do that, though, but I can make sure that you don't have to feel what I felt."

This does the trick. With tears in his eyes, Jude looks back to his lap. I do the same, and I realize that he's kept his book over his hands this whole time. With his knee, he kicks the book off of him, revealing a shining blue coat of nail polish on his fingernails. He uses his right hand to reach into the front pocket of his jeans and pulls out a nail polish bottle, royal blue inside of it. The gears in my head turn as I realize why he was being bullied.

I hop off of the bed and instead kneel down on the ground in front of him. Holding up the nail polish, I tell him, "When I was at school today, everyone looked at me like I was some monster. They whispered about me, spread rumors about me… I looked different from what they were used to, and they didn't like that. I didn't hide or let them hurt me, though. I kept my head held high and just kept walking. Want to know why?"

Jude looks up from his hands and furrows his eyebrows. I continue, "I don't let them make me feel like there's something wrong with me because I know that they're wrong. I'm different, but that's okay, because we're all different. There is _nothing_ wrong with you for wearing nail polish, just like there's nothing wrong with me for not being the type of guy to have a meltdown when a mosquito dies on the windshield of my sports car."

Luckily, my message gets through to him, because he belts out a laugh. I stand up while holding onto his shoulder, I question, "Are you going to be okay, bud?"

With a bright smile, he nods. I give him a grin before spinning on my heels and walking out of the open door, a sense of pride and relief washing over my body. After I step into the hall, I turn to walk towards the guest room, but instead, I see Stef and Lena, leaning against the wall beside Jude's door. Stef has her arm around Lena while she wipes away the tears falling from her eyes. Noticing me, the two straighten themselves out and step away from each other.

Through the light tears, Lena says, "We just, um, wanted to tell you guys that we're ordering pizza for dinner."

**This is for sure my favorite chapter that I've posted so far. There you go, guys. You heard more of Brandon's back story, as well as see him comfort Jude. Hope you enjoyed Chapter 6! Be sure to drop a review about your opinions, suggestions, and theories. (:**

**Next chapter: A twist that the family doesn't see coming when Brandon and Mike meet.**

**P.S. Guys, am I doing something wrong? My reviews and views/visitors are going down with every chapter that I post. Am I doing something that y'all don't like to read? Feel free to tell me. **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** You readers are seriously so fantastic. Thank you so much for all your love and support towards the story. I really can't help but smile at all of the reviews. So grateful that at the very bottom of this page, you'll find a little sneak peek to one of the chapters coming up. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Anyway, I decided to skip writing about Brandon's next few days of school, so this chapter takes place three days later. Just to clear up the timeline of this story...

Chapters 1-2 / Sunday, Chapters 3-6 / Monday, and Chapter 7 / Thursday.

**I do not own The Fosters or the characters.**

[Mariana]

Clapping her hands while checking the pot on the stove, Stef calls, "Let's go, guys. Mike's on his way, and we need all hands on deck to set the table."

I groan and stick my paper into my History text book. After stuffing everything inside my bag, I notice Brandon writing on a sheet of notebook paper, an empty seat in between us.

Scoffing, I mention, "I find the amount of homework you've gotten on your first week of school really unfair. How can you even keep up?"

While sliding the paper into a glossy blue folder, he chuckles, "It's just an essay that Timothy gave me. He wants to see where I am with my writing and how much I learned in Chula Vista's school."

I nod as he puts the folder into the backpack Jesus gave him. Looking over to my twin across the island, I see him furiously scribbling on his review packet.

Walking over and patting his back, Stef orders, "Put it away, hon."

Refusing to look up, he shouts, "I need to finish this!"

"Well racking your brain isn't going to do you much good, now is it?"

Slamming his pencil down and shoving his stuff into his backpack, Jesus mutters, "Fine, but don't blame me when I fail Algebra."

After he slides his backpack to the middle of the island, Stef lightly hits his head while saying something about his attitude. I giggle and look over to my right at Brandon, who's gotten up to set his bag on the counter behind us. Once he sits down, a green colored pencil is accidently rolled over to him. Brandon looks up and smiles at Jude, who simply laughs as he continues to stick the other colors back into his blue pencil pouch. With a chuckle, he flicks the pencil back to Jude, who catches it just as it was about to fall to the floor. Stef laughs at the two and ruffles Jude's hair before telling the young boy to wash the pencil shavings off his hands. As he exits the room with his backpack in hand, she walks over to the head of the island, wrapping her arm around the focused Callie's shoulders.

"Callie, sweetheart, give your brain a rest. You've been reading in that same spot since you got home _three hours ago_."

Closing the book and setting it on the Jesus's backpack, Callie sighs, "Sorry, mom, but Moby Dick waits for no one."

Stef sits down on the stool beside her, across from Brandon, while popping her eyes open, a thought hitting her head. "Ooh, that reminds me. How are you and Wyatt?"

Immediately catching on, Jesus and I yell, "Mom!"

Callie shakes her head with a disgusted expression on her face and replies, "I haven't done anything that I'm not ready for, mom, believe me."

With a sigh of relief, Stef responds, "That's my girl. Just remember that abstinence is always an option, okay? If that doesn't work, just say your mom's a cop. That should be enough birth control to last you till marriage."

Jesus groans and covers his ears with his hands while I wrinkle up my nose and cross my arms over my chest. Brandon hangs his head down with an uncomfortable look on his face.

Standing up from the stool, our blonde mother adds, "If you ever need condoms or anything-"

This time, Callie joins in with me and Jesus to repeat, "Mom!"

Walking out of the room, she laughs, "Alright, alright. I'm going to help Momma finish up the laundry."

Once we can hear her footsteps on the staircase, Brandon looks up and questions, "Is she always so..."

His voice trails off, but we all know where he was going. Callie scratches her head while answering, "Yes."

_Ding dong!_

Hopping off the stool and walking out the kitchen, I shout, "I'll get it!"

As soon as I reach the front door, I grab the doorknob and open it, already knowing who it is. Mike grins on the other side of the doorway.

I smile back and greet, "Hey, Mike," as I step aside to let him in.

"Hey, Mari."

I furrow my eyebrows once I realize that he's still in his police uniform. "Did you just get out of work?"

He sighs and explains, "Yeah, that's why I was running late."

I nod, understanding because Stef usually has the same problem. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Brandon enter the room. Once Mike sees him, he widens his eyes. Quickly, he pushes me behind him and pulls his gun out of his holster, causing my eyes to bug out even more than his.

"Hands over your head! Put your hands up!"

Trying to push past him, I scream, "Mike, stop it! Stop! Moms!"

With shock evident on his face, Brandon immediately raises his arms up, his elbows forming acute angles as his hands set behind his head.

He opens his mouth to say something, but Mike continues to focus his gun on him, shouting, "Shut up! Get down on the ground!"

Brandon drops to his knees, his hands staying put. Beside him, the moms walk in, my three siblings standing behind the two shocked women.

Stef rushes over to Mike while yelling, "Put the gun down!"

He continues to narrow his eyes at the defenseless sixteen year-old boy, but listening to his ex-wife, Mike lowers his gun, eventually putting it back in its pocket.

Lena joins the two adults in front of me while demanding, "Kids, out of the room. _Now_."

Jesus and Callie help Brandon up while Jude and I rush out of the living room. Once the other three teens join us in the kitchen and begin to ask Brandon what happened, I quietly slip back into the hallway.

Someone has to be the Nancy Drew in this situation, and it's going to be me.

I reach the doorway and press my back against the wall beside it, hoping the light from the living room won't reveal me hiding in the shadows.

In a hushed but furious voice, Stef shouts, "What the hell were you thinking?!"

Mike widens his eyes and replies, "What the hell was I thinking? I was thinking that a criminal snuck into my family's house. What the hell were you two thinking?! Did you even know that he has a record?!"

Lena sighs and responds, "Yes, Mike, of course we know."

With a roll to his eyes, he scoffs, "Want to know how I knew that? I'm the one who arrested him!"

Stef crosses her arms over her chest and angrily says, "Well you know what, Mike? Callie's as much of a criminal as Brandon is, but you still love her like she's your own blood."

Mike shakes his head and replies, "It's different, Stef, and you know it. Callie was arrested for protecting Jude. Brandon was arrested for _drinking and selling alcohol_. How can you let a kid like that live under the same roof as your kids?! You've got 2 daughers, for crying out loud!"

With a firm expression on her face, Lena calmly states, "Mike, if you can't handle being civilized in front of Brandon, _leave_."

* * *

The moms sat at both heads of the dining table, which is usually how it works when we eat here. On one side was Jude, Callie, and Brandon while on the other side was Mike, myself, and Jesus. The aura around us was tense, the only sound to be heard was the clacking of forks against plates. Every few seconds, I'd catch Mike glaring at Brandon.

The tension broke once Mike, while twisting spaghetti onto his fork, asked, "So, Brandon, when did you get released?"

Looking down at his plate, Brandon answers, "Um, Sunday, so just a few days ago."

Popping the food into his mouth and swallowing, Mike continues, "Do they have you going to Anchor Beach?"

After Brandon nods, Mike adds, "Not getting into any trouble, right?"

Stef slams her fork onto her salad plate and sternly states, "That's enough, Mike."

And again, there's the silence.

**I actually like this chapter. Hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Drop a review telling me what you want to see in upcoming chapters? I'd really love to incooperate some of y'all's ideas! Oh, and as promied, below is the a spoiler to an upcoming chapter. (:**

_Looking down at the shorter girl, I smile and respond, "Well, if that's how it goes around here."_

_Considering the height difference, it's easy for me to wrap my arms around her shoulders while she slings her arms around my waist. We comfortably stay like this for what seems like forever, not that I'm complaining._

**Next Chapter: Anchor Beach's troublemakers just might convince Brandon to take a turn for the worst and get back into his old habits.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: **I'm writing this as I watch Law and Order: SVU, and it's the episode where Bailee Madison guest stars as a victim. She plays a foster child. How great is this. And thank you so much for all the love, guys! You amazing people make me smile so much.

**Tazbb12**: I'm head-over-heels in _love_ with that idea. Thank you so much for sending it in! I already have up to Chapter 11 written up, but soon after that, you'll see that concept between Brandon and Lena, I promise. And I'll be sure to give you credits!

**I do not own The Fosters or the characters.**

[Brandon]

_RING!_

Timothy, obviously frustrated that the dismissal bell stopped him halfway through his lecture, sighs, "Have a good weekend, class."

Immediately, a majority of the students rushes out of the room, the rest of us taking our time to pack up. Once all of my supplies are back in my shoulder bag and I've slung the strap over my body, I hear a British accent call for me. Turning around, I see Timothy approaching me.

Confused, I question, "Yes, sir?"

Crossing his arms over his chest, my Literature teacher says, "I read your essay, and I'm really impressed with the level of your writing. You gave me impeccable, well-thought answers to every universal question in the prompt I assigned to you."

A small grin tugs at the corners at my lips, only to widen once I notice Callie walk up beside me. I haven't heard someone that impressed of me in a long time. Another thought flashes to my head, causing me to reply, "Thank you, sir, but all credits go to Callie. She gave me pointers and helped me revise my essay so that it turned out just right."

Out of the corner of my eye, I spy Callie bite her bottom lip as Timothy laughs, "Ms. Foster is an excellent student. Alright, well, I guess I'll see you kids on Monday."

The two of us smile and say goodbye before exiting the classroom. As we walk down the hall, I feel Callie nudge my arm with her shoulder. I look down at her and can't help but chuckle.

"Nice job, Jacob. You got praised by Timothy."

She lightly punches my shoulder when I stop at my locker, then jogs off to her own. I laugh and grin to myself as I open my skinny compartment. After putting my unneeded supplies back into the locker and closing the door, I turn with the intention of walking over to Callie, but two figures stand in my way. I recognize one of the figures as Mateo, Wyatt's friend that sits behind me in History. The girl beside him, however, is unknown to me.

Mateo puts on an obviously fake smile and greets, "Hey, Brandon. Coming to my party tonight?"

I roll my eyes and respond, "The answer's the same as what I told you in first period."

He steps back, letting the brunette get closer to me. As soon as she opens her mouth, I inhale the strong scent of her cigarette breath.

She leans her head in and whispers, "I hear you have experience with hooking kids like us up with some… refreshments."

Although I'm taken aback that she knew about the specific details of my record, I make sure that my shock doesn't show. Instead, I look over to Mateo.

Crossing his arms over his chest, he tells me, "We know that this whole 'good kid' thing is just an act. You're a criminal. You know, I know… Everyone knows. Cut the cover-up and just give us a hand, bro. You help us out, we'll help you out. Whatever your old clients paid you for your services, we'll double it."

I simply scoff and push my way through the two. However, once I pass by Mateo, he grabs my elbow and pulls me back. "Listen, man. This is _Anchor Beach_. You can make some serious money here. You're making a mistake if you just walk away."

Turning my head to the girl behind me with an evil glint in her eyes, then back to Mateo, I lean in and reply, "No, a mistake would be to fall for a stupid idea like this."

I shake out of his grasp and take a step forward, but before completely leaving, I turn around and question, "How did you hear about my record?"

The girl chuckles, "Ask your big mouth foster sister."

* * *

Callie? No, she wouldn't do that. Then again, she admitted that she doesn't trust me. Mariana? Possibly. For the week that I've been here, I've heard her gossip every day. I don't see how she could've found out about my record, though. I told the family it was because of the fake ID business. Wait, but Bill came over on Monday. Maybe he told Stef and Lena, who told their kids. But why would they keep me in their house, knowing that I could be a bad influence?

"Family meeting! Living room!"

I shake my head at the interruption and try to resume thinking, but the voice, Stef, adds, "That includes you, Brandon!"

With a sigh, I hop off the stool and walk down the hall to the living room. Behind me, I hear footsteps jogging down the staircase before following behind me trail. Once I enter the room, I notice Lena and Stef sitting on the coffee table while the twins and Callie were across from them. The figure behind me walks to the side and skips in front of me, revealing to be Jude. I quietly chuckle and take a seat next to him, after he sits beside Callie.

Lena scans all of our faces before saying, "Mom and I are going out for dinner tonight, just to clear our minds and calm down. We'll be back by no later than 10, and Jude, we already called Connor's mom. She's okay with you sleeping over tonight, so you two can work on that Science project. We're dropping you off on our way to the restaurant."

Stef sticks her index finger out and waves it at us while informing, "You teens are going to be home alone tonight for about two hours. _No parties_. I don't want to see drunk boys in my bathtub, naked girls running around my halls, or beer cans in my front yard."

Jesus turns his head to the side and chuckles, "I wouldn't mind the naked girls," causing Callie and I to laugh while Mariana and Jude scrunch up their faces.

While giving her oldest son an angry glare, Stef continues, "We'll know if anyone sneaks in or out of this house. Nobody's coming in, and nobody's leaving."

Adding to her partner, Lena says, "I've heard many students in the halls talking about a party that Mateo Torres is throwing tonight. We just want to make it clear that even if any of you are invited, none of you are going. Understand?"

Mariana groans while Callie and I nod. Jesus, on the other hand, protests, "Moms, please! Why do I have to stay home because of Mariana's stupid mistake?"

Bolting up to her feet, his twin shouts, "Excuse me? You're the one who got into a brawl with the host! I wouldn't have gotten drunk if you were watching me!"

As Jesus stands up in front of her, he yells, "You're fifteen! I shouldn't have to watch you!"

Before the argument can become more heated, Stef interrupts, "That's _enough_. Nobody's going to any party, and that's that."

* * *

Feeling sweat form on my forehead, I sigh and take off Mike's red flannel shirt, leaving me just in his grey tank top and the skinny jeans that were, fortunately, mine. It felt odd to wear the clothes of the man who arrested me, but it's better than nothing. Through the partially open door of the room, I can hear Stef and Lena saying goodbye to the twins downstairs.

"Jude, we need to leave now! Connor's family is expecting you over for dinner!"

I prepare to join the Foster's downstairs, to say goodbye myself, but my reflection in the full-body mirror stops me. I turn to face the large glass and feel relief wash over my body as I see some bruises already disappearing while others begin to heal. The large mark on my right shoulder is one of the ones starting to slowly heal, while the slightly smaller one on the left side of my chest has recovered. Bruises on my arms can hardly be seen, my black eye is nowhere to be found, and to top everything off, the slit on my lips has fully healed.

I sigh and turn away from the mirror. Once I reach the guest room door, I hear people whispering outside. Jude and Callie.

_Don't, Brandon. Not your business. Walk away._

Unfortunately, the sneakier, nosier side of me takes over. Taking a step forward, I peer through the crack between the door and the doorway. Standing across from each other in the hallway were the two biological siblings, right in front of the bathroom. Since the opening is so small, I can only see half of each figure.

Jude, with a worried expression on his face, asks, "Are you going to be alright? I don't want to leave you."

Setting her palm on her little brother's left shoulder, Callie replies, "I'll be okay, Jude."

"But tomorrow's-"

Callie takes her hand of the young boy while interrupting, "I know, baby, I know. I know what tomorrow is, and I know that we've never been apart on this day, but it'll be fine. Once you get home from Connor's tomorrow morning, everything else will be normal. We're just missing a few hours together, that's all."

Hesitantly, Jude nods. Once a few seconds of silence pass, the small boy crashes into his sister, wrapping his arms around her waist. I notice tears brew in Callie's eyes as she links her arms together around his neck. After leaning down to kiss the top of her brother's head, she whispers something in his ear.

"Jude, sweetheart, let's go!"

The siblings break apart at the sound of Stef's shout from the bottom of the steps. Wiping away a tear that fell from her eyes, Callie wraps her left arm around Jude's shoulders and quietly says, "Come on, buddy. I'll walk you out."

**This turned out longer and better than I expected. Yay. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! What do you think tomorrow is for Jude and Callie? Be sure to tell me your theory, as well as some opinions or suggestions, in a review? (:**

**Next Chapter: Bad decisions are made when the adults are out of the house.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: **Eh, I guess this chapter isn't so bad. Hope you enjoy. Also, please answer the question relating to this story at the bottom!

**I do not own The Fosters or the characters.**

[Jesus]

"Have you lost your mind?"

I roll my eyes at my sister and slip on my green jacket over my grey V-neck. "It's hard to focus when I'm trapped up in here."

Crossing her arms and tapping her foot impatiently, Mariana snaps, "And going to a party with 200 other people is going to make it easier?"

I ignore her and ruffle my hair before walking out of the kitchen. She follows close behind while pestering, "How do you even plan on getting to Mateo's house? You know that the moms can track your phone, right?"

"Aiden's on his way, and I left my phone on the island. Relax, okay? I've got it all under control."

Once I reach the front door, Mariana grabs my elbow and spins me around. She shoots me daggers while saying, "Jesus, don't be an idiot. What's gotten into you? You know that sneaking out is going to get you grounded for life."

Immediately, I shove my hands into my pockets, just so she doesn't notice the rapid shaking. This sudden movement causes Mariana to furrow her eyebrows and eye me suspiciously.

With a sigh, I tell her, "Mari, I'm fine. I just need to get out of the house for a while, hang out with my friends and stuff."

After a few seconds of silence, she questions, "Have you taken your pills today? Maybe that's why you're acting like this."

I shrug and state, "I was in a rush this morning."

My twin sister widens her eyes and yells, "Jesus! Go upstairs and take your medicine!"

I'm not sure why, but something inside of me snaps. Anger boils in the pit of my stomach, causing me to reply, "Just bug off, Mariana! Keep your mouth shut, and stay out of my business."

_Honk!_

As I turn around, Mariana softly whispers, "Please don't do this."

I shake my head and mutter, "See you later."

* * *

[Callie]

"Cals, I need you!"

I look up at my little sister barging into our bedroom. Immediately, worry washes over my body. I lift my guitar off of my body, set it on my bed, and bolt up.

"What's wrong? Is everyone okay?"

While walking towards me, Mariana states, "Jesus just snuck out to go to Mateo's party."

I furrow my eyebrows and reply, "Are you sure? That doesn't sound like him."

She nods and explains, "He didn't take his pills today."

I groan and mumble, "That makes more sense."

I think for a few seconds before saying, "Alright, here's the plan. I'm going to drive to Mateo's, find Jesus, and bring him back. We'll give him a huge lecture, and he'll clean up anything on him that could lead back to the party. Everything will be back to normal by the time the moms get home.

"Great, let's go."

I scoff and respond, "No, no, no. You're staying here. The last thing I need is to lose both of you."

With a desperate look on her face, Mariana whines, "Please, Callie! Do you know how many people are at that party? There's no way you can find him by yourself with enough time to spare."

She's obviously not going to give up, so I sigh, "Alright, fine. The point is to find Jesus. Nothing else, got it?"

The younger girl nods obediently. As we walk into the hall, she asks, "Should we take Brandon, too? I saw him asleep on the couch after Jesus left."

I shake my head and answer, "No. The more people we take, the more people we end up having to search for. If we're lucky, he'll still be knocked out by the time we get home."

* * *

[Brandon]

_Beep! Beep! Beeeeep! Beep!_

I groan at what I recognize as an annoyingly loud ringtone. "Jesus, your phone!"

The beeping, however, continues. Not a response from the teenager or even the sound of shuffling footsteps. Trying not to let anything fully wake me up, I yell, "Jesus!"

Nothing. Dammit.

Curiosity gets the best of me and forces me to groggily get off the couch. While rubbing my eyes, I walk to the kitchen. Just my luck, the beeping stops as soon as I step in.

That's just great, Brandon. You woke up for nothing.

As soon as the thought crosses my mind, a more upbeat ringtone begins to echo through the room. I roll my eyes, walking over to the island, and mutter, "You've got to be kidding me."

I then realize that sitting on different spots of the table are the phones of the three fellow teenagers in the house. I furrow my eyebrows as the pop song, which I realize is Mariana's phone, stops playing. Just seconds later, Callie's fire alarm ringtone blasts out of her device. After sliding all the phones side-by-side and taking a look at the screens of the twins' phones, I realize that all the calls are coming from the same unknown number. They're obviously not home, so this must be important.

I slide the Unlock bar of Callie's phone and hold it up to my ear. "Hello?"

"Brandon? It's me. I'm on my friend's phone. Thank goodness you're awake."

Standing up straighter, I question, "Mariana? Where are you guys?"

In the background, I can hear the loud thumping of music, along with lots of muffled talking. Widening my eyes and raising my voice, I shout, "Are all of you at Mateo's party? Your moms are going to kill you!"

On the other line, the young teenage girl replies, "Callie and I only came because Jesus went off his pills and snuck out to come here. We were just supposed to bring him back, but then we split up, and now I can't find either of them. Brandon, please, you have to help. This place is freaking me out."

Her last sentence helps me to hear the fear in her voice. "I hope you know that I don't have a car or a license. Is his house within walking distance?"

"It's right around the corner of our street. It's the big house on the very end. You can't miss it."

While walking back to the room that I was taking a nap in, I order, "Go outside and just wait. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"No way. It's getting dark outside."

After a few seconds of thinking, I respond, "You're on your friend's phone, right? Stay with her. I'm on my way."

"Thank you so much, Brandon. Hey, leave Callie's phone at home so the moms can't track it!"

"Alright. Stay put, and don't do anything stupid!"

With that, I hang up the phone and set it on the coffee table. Off to save the Foster's.

* * *

[Mariana]

Handing the phone back to Kelsey, I mutter, "Thanks for letting me use it."

She smirks and scoffs, "No problem, _friend_."

I roll my eyes and reply, "We're not friends. Trust me, I regret saying that we were."

"Right, because you always tell your enemies about your foster brother being locked up for selling alcohol."

"That was a mistake."

With a chuckle, she pulls her legs onto the yellow couch we were seated on, setting them on the cushion in between us. "Whatever, goodie-two-shoes. I don't understand why you hate me so much."

I raise my eyebrows and snap, "_Seriously_? You made out with my brother at my quinceanera just so you could steal his ADHD pills."

"Well that's what he gets for letting me shove my hand down his front pocket, where they just so happened to be. Believe me, sweetheart, he enjoyed it."

I shudder at the memory and look forward at the living room through the dim lights. Drunk, half naked girls were standing on the coffee table while a sea of people were dancing around them. Each corner was covered by a couple making out, and plastic red cups were littered across the floor.

"You want one?"

I turn my head to my left and see Kelsey putting a lit cigarette between her lips. I scoff, "Yeah, no thanks. I prefer to keep my body healthy."

After taking the cigarette out and exhaling smoke, she responds, "Rules were meant to be broken, Mariana. Live a little. Guys don't like boring girls."

Sarcastically, I reply, "I know. They like whores with lung cancer."

Surprisingly, Kelsey raises her eyebrows and grins. "There you go. Being a bitch is one step closer to having some fun."

She takes a glance at the cigarette in her right hand and smirks. Leaning over, she holds the cigarette next to my face. With a devious gleam in her eyes, Kelsey suggests, "Just once."

**What do you think Mariana's going to do? Where do you think Jesus and Callie are? Be sure to tell me your answers, opinions, and suggestions in a review! Sorry to my fellow Brallie shippers. I know I said Chapters 9 and 10 would be really great for y'all, but it was a last minute change of plans. Instead, it's Chapters 10 and 11. Thanks for reading! (:**

**QUESTION: **Guys. Help. How does a Hawaiian-themed type of school dance sound? I promise that this relates to the story. I was going to do 80s-themed, but then I started to think more about this luau, and ideas started forming. What do you guys think, though?

**Next Chapter: Someone gets caught. Someone faces the consequences of a bad decision. Someone gets drunk. Someone has to save the day. Have any idea who each of these spoilers are about? Feel free to share your theories!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: **The season finale was hectic. I'm glad Mike told Brandon how disappointed he was. That really set the mood for me. Him and Dani.. My friend and I honestly screamed and freaked out together until it went to commercial. Like once she started complimenting him, I knew they'd kiss, but I really didn't expect for it to go so far. But the ending scene.. My heart was ripped out of my body once I saw him spitting out blood, and I was knocked to the ground when his hand was slammed in the door. Such a great ending to leave us thinking. Stef and Lena.. Call me selfish, but I was actually hoping that they wouldn't have a baby. I'm glad Stef is on the positive side about it, though. Zac and Mariana.. Heavens. That killed me inside. Hope we get to see more of Zac in the future. Jude asking if he was gay.. My baby. Perfect. Couldn't have been better. At least to lighten our moods, JEMMA. Sucks that Jesus barely had a part in this episode. Genuinely hope we get to see more of him in S2.

I've been waiting to write this chapter. Hope it comes out as well as it did in my head.

[Brandon]

After about 10 minutes or so, I find myself walking into the large house that harbored three of my foster siblings. Immediately, the loud music pounds through my ears. Pushing through the sea of people to what looked like the living room, I finally arrive in the center of the area. I scan my eyes around the room, my vision being blocked by people, for the most part. A few seconds pass before I finally see a face that I personally know. Sitting on a yellow couch against the wall was Mariana. Surprisingly, beside her was the girl that asked me for alcohol earlier today in school. A cigarette was gripped in between Mariana's fingers, her hand pulling it out of her mouth while she exhaled smoke through her sly smile. Immediately, I storm over to the two and, before they notice me, snatch the cigarette out of the female's hands. Spotting an ashtray nearby, I smash the lit end into it and set the cigarette down. Looking back at Mariana, she stares at me with wide eyes.

"It's not what you think."

I shake my head and say, "We'll talk about this later. Let's go."

As she stands up, her little friend smirks at me and winks, which Mariana notices. She angrily grabs my left wrist and pulls me through the crowd. When we reach the doorway that stood between the hallway and the living room, I release myself from her grasp.

Running my hand through my short, messy hair, I question, "So you haven't seen Jesus or Callie at all?"

She shakes her head and replies, "Moms always told me that if I get lost, I should stay put, so I did. I was on that couch for twenty minutes."

I can't help but chuckle at what comes out of her mouth. After a moment of thinking, I tell her, "Stay here, alright? Don't go anywhere."

Once she nods, I turn around and begin walking down the hallway. Luckily, not as many people were crowded around out here. At the end of the hall was a bedroom and a closed door across from it. Outside the closed door stood a blond guy, slightly taller than me, in a varsity jacket, furiously shaking the silver doorknob.

"Foster, let's go! You've been in there forever, man!"

Jesus. Immediately, I push the guy aside and start pounding on the door. I can tell that the blond is mad, but instead of acting on his emotions, he walks away. Not surprising. This whole week, nobody's wanted to mess with the juvie kid.

While banging my fist against the wooden door, I shout, "Jesus! Come on, it's Brandon! I'm here to take you home!"

After a few more punches with the side of my fist, the door creeks open. On the other side stood Jesus, his eyes squinty and his left hand clutching the back of his head.

Worriedly, I question, "Are you alright, man?"

He slowly shakes his head and responds, "I'm really dizzy, and the light's hurting my eyes."

I nod and help him out of the bathroom, letting him rest his right arm over my shoulders as I drag him back down the hall. Once we reach Mariana, she widens her eyes at the sight of her brother. Immediately, she grabs his arm and jumps into my position as I step aside. Noticing a guy with an unopen Sprite can walking past us, I snatch the soda out of his hands.

As he mumbles a few curse words while walking into the living room, I give the can to Jesus while saying, "Here, drink this."

Turning to Mariana, I ask, "Do know remember where Callie parked her car?"

She grabs her brother's right wrist, which was propped on her shoulder, and states, "It's on the curb, beside the mailbox."

Interrupting what I was going to say, Jesus sniffs his sister's hair and mutters, "Hose off, you smell like you just took a smoke."

When she looks down at her heels, he widens his eyes and loudly questions, "Are you serious, Mariana?!"

I help her avoid the response to that question and order, "Alright, take him out there and stay beside it. Don't talk to anyone, don't go anywhere."

The two nod and trudge towards the front door, Jesus mumbling about the dangers of smoking while Mariana rebuttles with the stupidity of going off his pills. I make sure that they walk out before turning my head to the staircase. Considering I didn't see Callie in the bedroom when I glanced inside, she had to be up there. Pushing past the few people walking down the steps, I bolt up the opposite direction. At the top of the steps was another hall with three closed doors and one open room. I notice that two of the closed doors have a "KEEP OUT" sign taped to them, so this means Callie's in one of the other two rooms. Walking further down the hall, the closed door without a sign flies open, a girl with a red plastic cup in her hand stumbling out of it. Immediately, a boy rushes into it. Must be the bathroom.

I take a few more steps and reach the one room with an open door. Standing in the doorway, I analyze the room. Smoke filled the air, causing a few coughs to escape from my mouth. In the corner closest to me were a group of guys, beer bottles in their hands. In the middle were several people dancing, though less than the crowd in the living room.

"Brandon, bro, you made it!"

I spin around and, unfortunately, see none other than the hair model standing before me.

Not even bothering to greet him, I question, "Have you seen Callie?"

Wyatt furrows his eyebrows and replies, "Callie? She's not here. Parties aren't really her scene."

"No, she's here. She came with Mariana."

Standing up a little taller, Wyatt responds, "And you're absolutely sure? I asked her every other day this week to come, and each time, she turned me down."

Looking around the hall behind him, I state, "It's a long story."

Once I look back at Wyatt, he stares at me with an expression that I can't read. After a few seconds pass, he shakes his head and says, "I'll check downstairs, you check up here?"

Although the room beside us, the only possible room that she could be in, isn't that cramped and makes it easy to see if she's here or not, I simply nod. He spins on his heels and sprints over to the staircase. I turn around and scan through the room once again, just to make sure I didn't miss anything. Still, Callie's nowhere to be seen. However, a small window beside me catches my attention. I walk towards it and peer outside. The window shows the front yard of the house. To the very left, I can just barely see the twins standing beside Callie's emerald green car. As I prepare to turn away, familiar brown waves of hair running around to the side catches my attention. Not even thinking about it, I spin around and rush out of the room, down the stairs, and out of the house, ignoring the strange looks of people around me. Once I reach the front porch, I turn to my right and speed walk over to the side of the large house. Sure enough, sitting against a big tree beside the house was Callie, gripping the neck of a large clear bottle with a red label in her right hand. As I walk closer, the scent around her begins to find my nose, making me realize that the bottle was halfway full with alcohol.

When I reach the teenager with bloodshot eyes, she tilts her head back at me and widely grins. In a loud voice, she greets, "Hey, Brandon!"

I lightly grab her left wrist and pull her up while muttering, "That's just great. Jesus is sick, Mariana smells like smoke, and you're hammered."

Letting out a laugh, Callie replies, "Me? No way."

As soon as I release her wrist, she begins to fall forward. Luckily, I catch her and hold her up by her shoulders. Leaning my head forward, I say, "Callie, your breath reeks of booze. We need to get you home."

She chuckles and tries to escape my grasp while responding, "Home? No thanks. My moms taught me what boys like you want from me."

"What? No, Callie, _your_ home."

With the same smile beaming from her face, she replies, "My home? I don't think my siblings would like it if we did it there."

Taking a step closer so she could possibly hear me better, I state, "Callie, you're drunk."

The brunette takes a step back, out of my hands, while laughing and saying, "You, sir, are crazy."

She lifts the bottle up to her face, throws her head back, and begins to chug the liquid down. I walk towards her and pull the bottle away from her, causing some of the whiskey to spill on her shirt.

Callie backs away, lets out a few coughs, and mutters, "What's wrong? Never seen a girl drink away her problems before?"

While she takes another long sip, I order, "Callie, drop the bottle."

She ignores me, releasing the bottle from her mouth and beginning to walk around in circles.

"Callie, come on. Do you really want to set this kind of example for Jude?"

She freezes for a moment at the sound of her little brother's name, but she brushes it off and continues walking. I groan and move in front of her, stopping her from going on.

"Callie, give me the bottle."

I catch a gleam of anger flash through her eyes before she shouts, "No!"

Spinning on the heels of her boots, she stomps towards the brick wall of the house, chugging down more booze on the way. I jog up behind her and, once I reach her, she turns around. Shockingly, the glass bottle falls out of her hands.

After I let out a sigh of relief, I say, "Thank you. Now, let's go-"

Before I can finish, Callie smashes her lips against mine, her hands tangling in my hair. I remain still for about three seconds, but something inside of me ends up taking over. My eyes close while I slowly kiss back, setting my hands on her sides. The kiss is smooth but intense. We continue for many seconds, until her tongue glides across my bottom lip. I immediately recognize the taste in her mouth and pull away, even taking a couple steps back.

I shake my head and mumble, "Drunk. You're drunk, Callie."

Blocking what just happened out of my head, I lift Callie's right arm up and set it over my neck. Fortunately, she doesn't cause a scene and keeps quiet. I shift my head and realize that she's dozing off, her eyelids slowly closing. While holding onto her right hand with my own and wrapping my left arm around her waist, all to keep her up right, I begin walking towards the front yard. Luckily, everyone has cleared back into the house. This makes it easier to trudge across the grass and to the twins. Jesus, an open Sprite can in his hand, hops off the hood of the old car while Mariana nudges herself off the driver's door.

Taking a whiff of the air, Mariana scrunches up her nose and states, "You smell like alcohol."

Walking closer to them, I scoff, "It's not me."

Jesus widens his eyes once I stop and yells, "Is she drunk?!"

Not even bothering to respond considering the answer is already obvious, I turn to Mariana and ask, "Do you know where her car keys are?"

She shrugs and suggests, "Back pocket?"

I turn my head and look behind the girl in my arms. In her left back pocket, I see the outline of a couple of keys, as well as a key ring. I release my arm from around her waist and reach for the keys, but once I realize what I'm doing, I stop.

"Uh, Mariana, can you get it?"

She nods and walks behind her unconscious sister. After a couple of seconds, she returns back to where she was previously standing and hands me the keys. Jesus helps me set his older sister in the back seat of the car and goes through the other door to sit beside her while Mariana takes the passenger seat. I climb into the driver's side and sigh. Let's hope that learner's permit before juvie doesn't fail me.

* * *

"I can't believe you went out there to find me. You could've gotten hurt."

"Says the guy who snuck out to a party without taking his pills. I can't believe you're yelling at me for caring about you!"

After pulling into the driveway of the Foster's residence, I take out the car key, which had a key to the house linked to it, and hand it to Mariana, interrupting her argument with Jesus.

"Jesus, go take your pills and text Wyatt that we found Callie. Mariana, meet me in the bathroom with some clothes for her to change into. I'll bring her up. We've got an hour for all of us to take a shower, change, and throw our clothes in the laundry before your moms get home."

The two nod and exit the car, not saying a word. Once they walk into the house, I hop out of the car, close my door, and open Callie's. After picking up her sleeping body, I shut her door with my foot and walk towards the house. When I walk through the front door, Jesus walks up to me, a small cologne bottle in his hand.

"Wyatt said he was worried sick and that he's glad you found her."

I nod and question, "Take your pills yet?"

"Yup. I'm just going to spray Callie's car, you know, to get the party smell out."

I chuckle as he walks past me and back outside. Continuing through the house and up the stairs, I spot Mariana standing outside the bathroom door. When I reach her, I slowly set Callie down to her feet, careful not to wake her up.

"She's pretty out of it, so can you get her out of these clothes? Oh, and spray her with _a lot_ of perfume."

The young teenager giggles before holding onto her sister, dragging her inside the bathroom, and shutting the door. I sigh and lean against the wall, looking down at my own clothes. My grey tank top reeked of smoke, causing my nose to scrunch up. After a few minutes, the bathroom door finally opens. I nudge myself off the wall and see Mariana holding up Callie on the other side of the doorway, the sleeping girl now wearing plaid pajama pants and a light blue tank top with her hair tied up in a messy ponytail.

As I pick up her sister's unconsious body, which I noticed was covered with a large dosage of strawberry perfume, Mariana says, "Jesus already called showering first, so I guess you can go after him. Just leave your clothes in here when you're done, and I'll through everything in the washer afterwards."

I nod, walk into the bedroom that the girls shared, and set Callie down on her bed. After tucking her under her blanket, I stand up straighter and sigh.

"Goodnight, Cal."

**Bam. Six pages. How was that? Boring? Not-so-boring? Reviews would really be appreciated on this chapter, guys. I had it perfectly planned out in my head, so I'm not completely satisfied with how it turned out, but I'm hoping you guys liked it. **

**Next Chapter: The aftermath of this eventful night.**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: **Brallie alert. Hope you enjoy. (:

**I do not own The Fosters or the characters. **

[Brandon]

My eyes flutter open at the thin hand nudging my shoulder. Once my vision is cleared and the fog of grogginess has disappeared, I see Lena standing beside my bed.

Noticing my awakening, she quietly says, "Brandon, can you come downstairs? Stef and I need to chat with you."

Immediately, I begin to sit up while asking, "Is everything alright? Did I do something?"

Lena laughs and informs, "We just need to have a word with you. No worries, the rest of the kids will be there, too."

I slowly pull the blanket off my body and mumble, "Yeah, okay, I'll be right down."

She nods and exits the room. With a sigh, I slide off the large bed and run my hands through my hair as I follow in her path. Walking into the hall and over to the stairs, I don't smell the fresh scent of a gourmet breakfast, which I've gotten used to. As I move down the staircase, I hear Stef's muffled voice in the kitchen. Entering the room, I see Mariana sitting on the farther end, looking down at her lap. Beside her was Callie, her hair pulled up in the same messy ponytail as last night while her face rested in her hands. On the other side of Callie sat Jesus, his gaze falling to beneath the island, like his twin sister's. Noticing that the stool usually at the head of the table was pulled over next to Jesus, I take a seat on it and look over at Stef and Lena, who sat across from their three children. The two women sneak a glance at each other before turning back to the four of us.

Setting her arms on the island, Stef slightly leans in and directs to Callie, "How's my little fighter doing? Does the ringing in your head still hurt?"

Shifting my attention to her, I see Callie slowly nod her head, which was still being held by her palms. With a small, amused grin on her face, Stef raises her voice and loudly projects, "That's what happens when you're hungover."

Callie's hands immediately fly from her eyes to her ears, a painful expression written on her face. Jesus and Mariana take this as their cues to look up at their mothers, fear present in both of their eyes.

In a more peaceful tone than her partner's, Lena tells us, "Next time you want to clean up any evidence on your clothes, turning on the washing machine would help."

Snapping his head to his sister, Jesus sarcastically yells, "Nice one, Mariana!"

The younger girl widens her eyes at him and shouts, "It's all your fault, anyway, idiot!"

I watch as Callie grips onto the sides of her head, clawing at her hair as if that would make the noises go away. Once the twins calm down, she slowly drops her hands and looks over at the two women, her siblings doing the same.

Stef eyes at the three before saying, "What I got out of Mariana is she smoked, Callie got drunk, Jesus went off his pills, and everyone thought it'd be a great idea to try to hide this from us."

Jesus spins his head back to his sister and screams, "Snitch!"

Mariana drops her jaw and begins to argue, but her blonde mother interrupts by turning to me and questioning, "Brandon, is there anything you'd like to add?"

I shake my head and respond, "That basically sums up the whole night."

Stef nods and turns back to her children. "We are disappointed in all of you. Lying, sneaking out... You kids could've gotten hurt out there."

Adding in, Lena states, "We specifically told you that you weren't allowed to leave this house, and you did it anyway."

While looking at her two oldest children, Stef announces, "Jesus, for being irresponsible by not taking your medication and starting all of this, no skateboarding or playing video games for two weeks. Momma's also already emailed your wrestling coach about having you benched for the next game."

The teenage boy groans as she continues, "Callie, because you let your sister go with you to that party and left her alone while you had plenty to drink, you're forbidden from driving your car for as long as we think is necessary, and we're taking away your guitar, as well as your lessons. One month."

Callie nods, taking her punishment easier than Jesus did, although a sad expression is written on her face. Lena looks over to her youngest daughter and says, "Mariana, we're glad that you reached out to Brandon, but we're really disappointed that you didn't call us for help, and we're even more upset that he found you smoking. For those reasons, you're doing all of Jude's chores this week, and we're taking away your cellphone for two. No texting, calling, tweeting, emailing, or whatever else you do on that thing."

As a response, the young teenager pouts while Lena turns her head to me. "And Brandon, even though you played hero, you still violated your parole that restricts you from entering any premises that serves alcohol."

This causes all three teenagers to snap their heads to me, considering this was the first time they heard of this. I ignore their stares and listen to Lena as she finishes, "We had to inform your parole officer, and luckily, since everyone has said that you didn't consume anything, you won't have to go back to juvie. However, he's instructed you to group counseling on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday this week. The next violation won't be handled this nicely, though."

After a few seconds of silence, Stef adds, "Oh, and all of you are grounded. Other than school, none of you are leaving this house without Momma or myself. Everyone clear on their punishments?"

Together, the four of us nod. Lena lets out a sigh and says, "Alright, you're dismissed. Breakfast will be out when Jude gets home."

Jesus bolts up from the table and flies back to his room. Callie is next, followed by Mariana. I stand up to exit, but before I can start taking any steps, Stef orders, "Brandon, hon, you hang back for a little bit."

Slowly, I sit back down. What could they want with just me? Were they lying? Am I going back to jail? My thoughts are interrupted by Lena sliding something over to me. I look down at the object in front of me and furrow my eyebrows. Just a few inches before me was an iPhone, same as the one that the other teens in this house have.

Once I look up, Stef explains, "Since you're going to be staying with us for a while, we want you to be as comfortable as possible. That includes having the same privileges as our children. If you ever find yourself in some sort of trouble or need, like last night, feel free to call us. We protect our own in this house, and we just want to make that point clear to you."

Lena adds in, "We've already put in our cellphone numbers, as well as Mike's and the kids'. We also downloaded some apps that the twins and Callie have, like Facebook, Instagram, Candy Crush, and all that. If you ever want to add any of your friends in there or anything, feel free to. This is now your phone, and you can use it however you please."

With a small smile, Stef jokes, "Just limit the inappropriate searches."

I laugh and keep my grin on my face as I reply, "Thank you for doing all this and… for trying to make me feel at home. I really appreciate everything this family has done for me."

With a smile, Lena responds, "It's no problem, sweetheart."

Guilt still taunting the pit of my stomach, I state, "I really want to pull my own weight around here. I can get a job, if you want."

Stef chuckles, "Brandon, we hold you to standards no higher than the ones for our children. We don't expect them to get jobs, so we don't expect anything different from you. As long as you complete your chores, do well in school, and treat us with the same respect that we treat you with, all will be well."

* * *

"Can I come in?"

I look up from the small device in my hands and see Callie standing in the doorway.

Setting the phone beside me and nudging myself off the pillows, I answer, "Yeah, of course. I mean, it's your house and stuff."

She laughs as she enters, also saying, "I, uh, brought these, just in case you ever want to play."

Being pulled out from behind her back is a set of black headphones, a long wire extending from the left one. As she sets the gift on the keyboard bench, I respond, "Wow, um... thank you. You really didn't have to, though. It's Jude's keyboard."

While sitting down on the edge of the bed, she replies, "They were just sitting in my room, anyway, and I'm sure he'd be fine with it."

As I cross my legs and move towards her, so my body is facing her side, I notice Callie lift her hand up to her face and brush her nose a couple of times, causing me to laugh. She turns to me with furrowed eyebrows and a confused expression.

"What?"

I smile and explain, "You just rubbed your nose. My little brother used to do that all the time, whenever he was nervous and couldn't find the right things to say."

I mentally curse at myself for bring up Charlie, but fortunately, Callie doesn't pester about it. She simply forms a small smile and looks down at her lap.

Staring down at her hands, she says, "Last night, you didn't just save me. You saved my siblings, and that's something I can't thank you enough for. You… You didn't have to help us."

Turning my head to her, I respond, "Yeah, I did. You protect your own in this house, right?"

She smiles at my repeat of Stef's words from earlier. Several seconds of silence pass, but it's oddly comfortable. Callie breaks the silence by closing her eyes, keeping her head tilted down, and mumbling, "I'm not an alcoholic."

I nod and tell her, "I know."

"I just... Something inside me went off and..."

Finally opening her eyes and leaning her head up to gaze at the wooden dresser across from us, Callie states, "Today is the six year anniversary of my mom's death."

A few seconds pass before she adds, "She's been looking over me and Jude ever since. Then it hit me... Six years ago, my dad got drunk before he drove home. Six years ago, he caused the accident that killed his own wife and everyone else in the car he crashed into. Six years ago, he was arrested for manslaughter, and six years ago was the day my world fell apart. It hit me how screwed up my life is."

She takes a moment to close her eyes and catch her breath. During this time, I softly mention, "You don't have to tell me."

Callie shakes her head, opens her eyes, and continues, "My father used to say that he drank to forget about his problems. For six years now, I've reminded myself to never be like him. Last night, though... While I was looking for Jesus, a wave of memories just came at me. When Jude and I found out about the accident, when we were told that our father was being arrested, when... when we'd get beaten in our foster homes. And I... I saw the bottle just sitting there on the porch, yelling for someone to open it. I thought about why my dad was an alcoholic, and I thought about every bad thing that's happened in my life, and... Something clicked. Something told me that downing that bottle would wash away all of my problems."

After biting the inside of my left cheek, I question, "Did it?"

When she doesn't respond, I take in a breath and confess, "I went to juvie for drinking and selling alcohol."

She turns her head to me, the tears threatening to fall out of her eyes from before still present. Analyzing the hurt expression on her face, I slightly lean in and place my hand on her right knee.

"I know it's hard to forget about the past, and it's kind of impossible to do it, but drinking isn't the solution. Alcohol doesn't make your problems go away. It just temporarily takes them out of your mind. See, the fifteen year-old me took that lesson as an excuse to just keep on drinking and drinking, as if temporary would turn into permanent with every ounce I swallowed. That wasn't the case, though. I grew up thinking constant drinking was okay, and that made me make really bad decisions. Coming into this broken family and seeing how well put together you guys are... I'm not letting you fall down this path, Callie."

For the next few seconds, I begin to think that my message didn't get through to her, because she turns back to her lap and closes her eyes. After a minute passes, though, the teenage girl sitting in front of me lifts her head and stares down at my hand on her knee.

"You, Brandon, are a lot more spectacular than you think."

Once I laugh, Callie looks up and meets my gaze, a small smile playing at her lips.

"Cals, I need help with my Algebra homework!"

I sigh at Jesus's outburst next door that causes Callie to shake out of whatever trance we had each other in. She stands up, my hand falling from her knee, while awkwardly saying, "I have to, um, go."

I stand up as well, rubbing the back of my neck. She begins turning around, but something stops her and causes her to turn back to me.

"In this house, after a heart-to-heart conversation takes place, a hug usually follows."

Looking down at the shorter girl, I smile and respond, "Well, if that's how it goes around here."

Considering the height difference, it's easy for me to wrap my arms around her shoulders while she slings her arms around my waist. We comfortably stay like this for what seems like forever, not that I'm complaining. After Callie slowly drops her arms and begins to pull away, I do the same.

As we break apart, she utters, "Thanks for the talk, B."

I chuckle and question, "B?"

With a bright smile on her face, she replies, "Yeah," before biting her lip and spinning around.

Once she reaches the doorway, Callie turns back and says, "Hey, Brandon... Mariana said you took care of me last night. I didn't say or do anything stupid to you, right?"

_The kiss. That five second kiss where you licked the alcohol from her lips._

I shake my head and lie, "Nope. Nothing happened."

**The ending's rough. Sorry, guys. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, though! I like the Brallie in it, aha. Be sure to drop a review telling me what you thought. (:**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: **Thank you so much for the reviews, guys! And to the guest that asked... I had an idea on incooperating Liam into this story, but I'm still debating on it. If I develop more on that idea, I'll probably just have y'all vote on it. I can tell you now, though, that if I decide to include him.. He won't be portrayed exactly like he was in the show or in other stories. He'll be much different, but I'll still keep him to his essence, if that makes any sense.

Can y'all be awesome and answer the question at the end about this story? Thank you!

**I do not own The Fosters or the characters.**

[Jude]

"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?"

I nod and answer, "We'll be fine."

From the driver's seat, Stef gives us a small grin before saying, "Okay, well, I'll just be sitting here. Take your time."

Callie tugs her lips up into a smile and replies, "Thanks, mom."

After opening her door, my older sister slides out, her feet hitting the gravel beneath her. Once she stretches her arm into the car, I grab her right hand and pull myself out, shutting the door behind me.

She lets out a sigh and quietly asks, "Are you ready, bud?"

Gripping her hand with my own, I whisper, "Yeah, I'm ready."

We slowly walk off the bumpy road and over the sidewalk. When the tips of our shoes reach the bright green grass, we turn our heads around and look back at the SUV, only to see Stef staring at us. I wave back at her, then turn back to the cemetery and start up the hill. After a few yards of walking, we reach the top. Callie lightly squeezes my hand as we escalate down. We pass by rows of tombstones before reaching the familiar, rectangular one. Letting go of Callie's hand, I sit down and cross my legs, not worrying about getting grass stains on my light brown dress pants. Reaching my hand out, I trace my fingers over the engraved letters on the block of granite.

_Colleen Judith Jones  
November 6, 1976 – March 2, 2008  
Mother, Wife, Friend_

"Hey, mom. It's Jude, if you don't remember. Well, I mean, you should remember, considering you gave birth to me… but just in case."

As I set my arm back down, Callie stifles out a laugh as she kneels down on her black lace tights, folding her hands on her black dress. After she greets our mom, I question, "How come one of us wasn't named after dad?"

Callie furrows her eyebrows and responds, "What do you mean?"

"Well, you were named Callie because that was mom's nickname, and I was named Jude because of her middle name. Why don't we have a part of dad's name in us?"

Staring at the tombstone, she explains, "We do, baby, we do. Remember, our grandpa on dad's side was Thomas Jones? That's why your middle name is Thomas. Mine is Quinn because of his mom's surname."

I nod, soaking in all the information. We sit there silently for a few moments, just staring at our mother's name. After a minute passes, I sigh and rub my hands together, occasionally touching the glossy coat of royal blue nail polish.

"So, mom… Callie and I have been Foster's for two years now, and everything's really great. Stef and Lena actually started fostering this other boy. His name's Brandon, and he's Callie's age. I think you'd like him, mom. He told me that it was okay for me to wear nail polish and be different, just like you used to do."

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Callie softly grinning. I turn to her and ask, "Do you want to say something to her?"

She nods and looks down at her lap. I turn back to the tombstone, knowing that, like every other time, she needs a moment. After a few seconds, I hear her say, "This family isn't like ours. They're lucky. It took three years of hardships, but… We did it, mom. We found happiness. We landed ourselves in a home with two loving mothers and two incredible siblings. I don't know how many strings you pulled up there, but you helped us find our way to the Foster's, and we couldn't be more grateful. We love you, mom."

Once I turn around, she smiles and states, "I love you, Jude."

I smile back and reply, "I love you, too, Cals."

* * *

[Brandon]

I laugh in amusement as Mariana returns from outside, her nose scrunched up and her hands being held as far from her body as possible.

She rushes to the sink while mumbling, "That was wrong on so many levels. I swear I heard something move in there."

Entering the kitchen and walking over to her daughter, Lena says, "Mariana, you took the trash out to the front yard. If Jude can do it without complaining, so can you."

Wiping her hands with a red rag and sitting across from me at the island, the disgusted girl replies, "Mom, he's a boy. They _like _to touch gross things. They don't have these nails to protect!"

Lena rolls her eyes and begins scrubbing the dishes while responding, "Jude wears the same type of nail polish that you do, sweetheart. Now, go start vacuuming the bedrooms."

Mariana widens her eyes and states, "But I did it last week!"

"And this week is Jude's turn, but you're stuck with his chores, remember?"

The young teenager groans and tiredly slides off the stool. As she trudges out of the kitchen, Jesus enters with a smirk, a basketball in his hands.

As they pass by each other, he taunts, "That's what you get for thinking smoking was cool."

Taking her last few steps out of the room, Mariana argues over her shoulder, "Which I wouldn't have done if you didn't think you were Superman and stop taking your pills."

Jesus opens his mouth to yell back, but Lena turns her head to him and interrupts, "That's enough, mister. You are just as punished as she is. No skateboarding, no video games, and _no sports_."

He widens his eyes and shouts, "You didn't say that this morning!"

"Well, I'm saying it now."

After setting his basketball on the island, Jesus sits down on the stool where Mariana once sat and groans, "What am I supposed to do for two weeks?"

While wiping soap off a glass cup, Lena suggests, "Finish your homework?"

"Done."

"Chores?"

"Done."

She slightly shifts her head and nods towards the white envelope, notebook paper, and pencil resting in between us. "Then you have plenty of time to write a letter to your grandma."

Sliding the stuff over to himself, Jesus questions, "Sharon?"

Lena nods, turning back to the sink, and states, "She's going through surgery in a few days."

Picking up the pencil, the teenage boy across from me mutters, "Can't I just email her?"

"Yeah, sure, and then the next time she visits, you can also take the time to teach her how to use a computer."

I laugh as Jesus rolls his eyes and begins writing, a bored expression clearer than day on his face.

_Ding dong!_

Looking over her shoulder, Lena says, "Brandon, honey, can you get that?"

I nod, hop off the stool, and exit the kitchen. Once I finish walking down the hall and open the door, I'm slightly taken aback by the shaggy-haired boy on the other side, a bouquet of red roses being gripped in his hands.

Wyatt begins looking behind me while asking, "Is Callie home?"

I shake my head and answer, "Stef took her and Jude to the cemetery for the anniversary of their mom's death."

His face slightly drops, but it shifts to a tight grin when Lena approaches from behind me, wiping her hands with the same rag that Mariana used.

She smiles and greets, "Hi, Wyatt. What are you doing here?"

He holds up the flowers and explains, "I was just dropping these off for Callie, considering what today is and stuff."

Lena takes the bouquet from him and gushes, "These are lovely. I'll go put them in some water."

Before she leaves, she says, "I'd invite you in, Wyatt, since she's supposed to be home soon, but Callie, the twins, and Brandon are all grounded for going to that party last night."

Wyatt nods, sticking his hands in his front pockets, and saying, "Oh, okay. I'll just go then. Just wanted to make sure she got those."

Lena smiles at him and retreats back to the kitchen. I prepare to shut the door, but Wyatt interrupts, "Wait, can we talk for a minute?"

I shrug and pull the front door back open. Wyatt chuckles, "I bet you're happy, huh? You get to spend some time all alone with Callie while you're cooped up in this little house."

I roll my eyes and tell him, "You have nothing to worry about, okay?"

A serious expression falls onto his face. Looking me dead in the eyes, he states, "I saw her kiss you last night."

"She had no clue what she was doing. She was drunk."

"But you weren't."

I drop my gaze to the ground, realizing that he knew I kissed back. When I look back up, an equally as tough expression on my face, I say, "If you have a problem with me, come out and say it."

He shakes his head while looking down to my chest. "You have no idea how lucky you are."

I raise my eyebrows and question, "Excuse me?"

Wyatt looks back at me before he explains, "You know about her mom. Callie wouldn't open up to me about any part of her past until after a year of friendship. With you, though… You've been here for a week, and it's already easy for her."

With a deadly glare in his eyes, he adds, "She's into you."

I sigh and reply, "There is nothing going on between us."

He ignores my statement and scoffs, "Of course, though, right? You're the shiny new kid. Can't believe I thought she could stop herself from being attracted to you, that maybe you could win over Mariana instead."

I open my mouth to respond, but the car pulling into the driveway behind him stops me. Wyatt turns around as the car stops, noticing my gaze. Stef is the first to hop out and approach the house.

She furrows her eyebrows at the boy standing in front of me and says, "Hey, Wyatt. Callie can't hang out today, hon. She's grounded."

He nods as Callie and Jude exit the car themselves. "Oh, yeah, I heard. I just came by to drop off some flowers. Lena has them right now."

The blonde mother walks past him while saying, "Alright, but make it quick."

She softly smiles at me before sliding by and entering the house. I, however, stay put and watch the scene before me. Callie tugs her lips up into a small smile once she sees her boyfriend. Since she has one hand being held by Jude, she wraps her left arm around Wyatt's waist while he snakes his arms around her back. Even after they pull away, they keep an arm around each other's hips. Wyatt grins at Jude and sets his left hand on his shoulder. While the two start up a quiet conversation that has both of them smiling, Callie looks over to the porch and notices me. We don't wave or exchange smiles. We simply just stand there, staring. After a few seconds pass, Callie shakes her head and looks back down at her little brother, a bright smile forming on her face. Once Jude begins talking to her and Callie's eyes are locked on her little brother, Wyatt lifts his head and turns to me. A glare of warning gleams in his eyes. I roll mine and walk back into the house.

_She's taken, Brandon. She has a boyfriend. She's your damn foster sister._

**Originally, that scene with Jude and Callie didn't exist. I decided to add it in, like, just now, while I was proofreading. Sadly, this still seems like a filler chapter. Hope you guys still liked it, though. ****With the idea in my head, the next chapter will have Brallie. There'll also be Wyatt/Jesus and Jude/Connor, as well as more Mariana/Brandon. Also, Mike will return in Chapter 14! Be sure to suggest, comment, and theorize in a review! Love to hear from y'all. (:**

**QUESTION: **What pairing would y'all like to see more of in this story? I know Brallie, but anything else? I'm looking more towards family relationships, but if y'all want me to throw some love interests in there, like Callie/Wyatt or someone for the twins (Chase, Zac, and Emma will all be introduced, no worries. Just not sure when.), I'm totally down with that, too. Callie/Jude, Callie/Mariana, Mariana/Jude, Mariana/Brandon, Mariana/Jesus, Jesus/Jude, Jesus/Callie, Jesus/Brandon, Stef/Lena, moms/specific kid, specific mom/specific kid, Mike/specific kid. These are just the ones that first came to mind. Feel free to let me know what you'd like to see. I'll be sure to make it happen, even if it is just for a chapter or something.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: **Thank you for the reviews, guys. You readers that type in that little box to tell me something… It really does mean a lot.

So I've noted the pairings that y'all want to see more of, and I'll be sure to include them! Someone requested Mariana/Brandon, so you guys can find that at the end of this chapter. Hope you enjoy!

**I do not own The Fosters or the characters.**

[Jude]

"_Don't forget to swing by the student council's table beside the cafeteria and pick up your tickets for Anchor Beach's annual luau. Students from all grades are welcomed to attend this party on Friday night!"_

The bright voice of the senior that works in the office disappears, and the muffled murmurs around me grow louder as people begin to talk about the dance that she just described over the announcements.

Connor grips the right strap of his backpack while asking, "Are you going?"

I chuckle and answer, "I kind of have to, since my mom planned the whole thing. Plus, I have to work at the snack shack for the first hour. I'll be selling marshmallows for the bonfire."

The boy walking beside me nods. After a few seconds, he turns his head to me and says, "So, how's it going with your new foster brother? Is it cool to have another guy in the house?"

I nod and reply, "Yeah, it's cool. Brandon's cool. Jesus and I aren't so outnumbered anymore."

We laugh as we enter our Math classroom. I sit at my desk in the corner while Connor takes a seat behind me. After sliding the straps of my backpack onto the back of my chair, I shift my body so I can see him.

While lightly tapping his pencil on his desk, Connor leans in and quietly questions, "Is it true that he went to juvie for killing someone?"

I furrow my eyebrows and shake my head. "What? No, of course not. My moms would never let anyone like that into our house. Why, is that what people are saying?"

Connor shrugs and informs, "I've heard all sorts of things. Xavier said he mugged a guy, Logan thinks he robbed a bank, and Kerri's sister told her that he keyed his teacher's car, then spray painted it."

I roll my eyes at the rumors and state, "Brandon's really nice. He wouldn't do any of that. He told me that he was arrested for selling fake IDs."

The blond boy staring at me questions, "Can you really get arrested for doing that?"

Before I can respond, a hand shoving my shoulder interrupts me. Looking up, I see Bryan, Andrew, and Tommy standing in front of me, the same jerks that Brandon stopped from bullying me.

Towering over me with his standing self, Bryan taunts, "Talking about that criminal living in your house, Foster?"

Leaning over my desk with his arms holding him up, Andrew sneers, "I heard he was arrested for murdering his annoying little foster brother."

After busting out a dry laugh, Bryan says, "How stupid can one family be? I thought your moms would've learned their lesson about bringing mistakes into their house after they adopted you."

Connor rolls his eyes and orders, "Bug off, Bryan."

Bryan crosses his arms while Tommy pipes in, "How's the rest of your family, Foster? Meana Lena and Sheriff Stef, huh? Oh, and the twins? My brother says that they're complete fakes, just a couple of wannabes."

With a harsh tone to my voice, I quietly say, "Shut up."

Bryan smirks and adds on, "And you're real sister, the hottie with wavy hair? How's she?"

I prepare to stand up, but Connor softly states, "You have to stay calm, Jude."

Andrew chuckles, "Letting your girlfriend fight your battles for you? Wait, but Connor wears the pants in the relationship, right? That explains the nail polish, _freak_."

That does it for me. I bolt out of my chair and shove Bryan back, causing him to hit Shelly, who sat at the desk behind him. Immediately, Mr. Rutter rushes over.

"Hey, hey. What's going on here?"

Immediately, Connor explains, "They're making fun of Jude."

Tommy, as Bryan stands back up, yells, "He's lying!"

While straightening out her blonde hair, Shelly rolls her eyes and cuts in, "As if, Tommy. Connor's telling the truth, Mr. Rutter. I heard the whole thing. Completely uncool."

Mr. Rutter sighs and mutters, "Three of you, come with me."

The trio groans as they follow our teacher out of the room, walking towards the direction of Principal Sanchez's office. Sitting back down, I stare down at my lap, anger and hatred surging through my body.

Connor leans back over and whispers, "Hey, don't listen to those guys. You're all great, every single one of you. I know your family, and I definitely know you, Jude. Bryan, Andrew, and Tommy just have nothing interesting going on in their lives, so they try to ruin it for everyone else. What they say means nothing."

I nod, but my focus remains on my hands. Slowly, I rub the tips of my left fingers over my right nails. Something snaps. I begin to harshly claw at the smooth coat of the glossy nail polish, letting the blue residue fall onto my jeans. Connor widens his eyes and puts his hand on my shoulder. This doesn't calm me down at first, but after a few seconds, I stop and look at him.

He softly smiles and says, "Hey, the next time I come over, can Mariana do my nails like that? I want the same color."

A bright grin escapes my lips as I nod.

* * *

[Jesus]

Frustrated, I roughly grip at my hair with my left hand while I tap my finger against page 227 of my Algebra textbook with my right. I groan and pick up my pencil, beginning to erase everything I just wrote for the seventh question of my homework. Once the last number is officially gone, I run a hand through my disheveled hair. Closing my eyes for a few seconds, I breathe in and out, trying to regain calmness. Opening my eyes, I furrow my eyebrows at the boy standing in front of me.

"Wyatt?"

He tugs his lips into a small smile before greeting, "Hey, man. Can I sit?"

I nod and pull my feet off of the chair across from me. As Wyatt takes a seat at the wooden table, I think about how strange it is for him to be here. Usually during study hall, people go out to the courtyard or sit under a tree. I, however, am stuck in the library, because ever since I went off my pills for that one day, the sunlight's been killing my eyes.

I shake my head of the thoughts and ask, "How's it going? I haven't talked to you in, like, two weeks. Is everything alright with you and Callie?"

The shaggy-haired male on the opposite side nods and explains, "Yeah, we're good. I just haven't been coming over because I was grounded. It sucks that once I'm off, she's the one in the doghouse."

I chuckle, setting my pencil down, "Yeah, we all are."

Wyatt nods and gazes down at the table for a moment before looking back up and questioning, "So, um, what's the deal with her and Brandon?"

I raise an eyebrow and ask, "Are you jealous?"

He laughs and scoffs, "Of him? No. I just... Don't know a lot about him."

I nod and answer, "Well, Brandon's a good guy. He shoots hoops with me, doesn't pass out from boredom when Mariana talks, plays video games with Jude.. He's really cool."

"What about Callie? What do they.. bond over?"

I shrug and tell him, "They mostly just talk. I've heard them play their instruments together, though, like once."

I swear that I see an angry gleam cross through Wyatt's eyes, but he doesn't react to it. Instead, he questions, "He plays guitar?"

I shake my head and say, "Piano. Jude hasn't touched that keyboard in a year, so it's nice to hear it again."

He nods, soaking all of the information in, before asking, "So they're pretty close, huh?'

"I guess. Out of everyone in the house, I think he trusts her the most."

Seeing his deadly glare directed at my textbook, I quickly add, "I'm sure it's just because they have similar backgrounds, though. You know, troubled lives and being convicts and all. I wouldn't worry too much. I mean, when the moms brought in Callie three years ago, I had a little crush on her. She was thirteen, I was twelve, and I thought we were only temporarily fostering her. Now, she's my older sister and one of my best friends, nothing more."

Wyatt's eyes shoot up, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. "You think Brandon has a crush on Callie?"

Immediately, I widen my eyes and mentally curse at myself for letting that slip. "Um.. Well… I'm not Brandon, so I don't know or anything, but… Listen, man, if you have a problem with Brandon, you should talk to him. Despite the rumors, he's a really great person. If you want him to back off, I'm sure he will."

Mr. Hair Model sighs while running a hair through his locks. Looking down at his lap and slumping back in his chair, he mutters, "I trust my girlfriend."

I nod, recalling all the history that he and my sister have had. "I know. She trusts you, too."

* * *

[Mariana]

"Mariana? Mariana? Earth to Mariana?"

My eyes flutter a bit as I turn around and see Brandon. I shake my head and close my locker while greeting, "Oh, hey."

Gripping onto the strap of his shoulder bag, he chuckles, "You okay there? You looked like you were in some kind of trance."

I sigh and lean against the closed metal door, looking back to my right. Down the hall stood the Hercules of Anchor Beach, surrounded by some of his friends as the group laughed at something he said.

With a dreamy expression on my face, I explain, "Chase Dillon. Senior. Hottest guy in the school. Smart, funny, kind… He's perfect."

Behind me, Brandon scoffs, "Nobody's perfect, Mariana."

An idea forms in my head, causing me to spin around and form a bright smile. Brandon steps back and raises his eyebrows.

In a hushed but eager voice, I question, "Can you go talk to him for me?"

After letting out a laugh, the taller boy replies, "Yeah, right. I'm the juvie kid, not Cupid. Besides, Mr. Barbie over there doesn't have the guts to hold up a conversation with _the_ criminal delinquent of Anchor Beach."

I roll my eyes and respond, "Please, Brandon! Please, please, please! I already bugged Jesus into doing it, but Chase wouldn't listen to him because he's younger."

"And what does that tell you about the type of person he is?"

I ignore his interruption and continue, "You're younger, too, but he'll give you the time of day, considering, you know…"

He nods, already knowing that I was implying his criminal record. Brandon runs a hand through his hair and sighs, "I'd love to help, but Callie told me last week to never listen to any stupid favors that you might ask me to do."

I groan and yell, "Brandon! Come on, please. I cannot go to the Hawaiian Luau alone."

"So why don't_ you_ just ask _him_?"

"Are you crazy?!"

He rolls his eyes at my outburst and stares at me. I pull out my best puppy dog face that I always used on the family. Brandon laughs and states, "That's not going to work on me, but I'll do it anyway, just to make you stop."

I bring in my bottom lip and grin, saying, "Thank you _so _much. I owe you one."

While walking past me, he mumbles, "I'll remember that."

I turn once he's fully behind me and watch as his tall figure walks over to the group of boys at the end of the hallway. After noticing his approach, a few of Chase's friends flee in the opposite direction. Brandon points at Chase and corners him, pushing him back with his index finger on his chest. Immediately, the two guys that stayed ran off, leaving just my foster brother and my dream boy. I walk forward and hide behind another set of lockers to hear the pair better.

With an intimidating and serious look on his face, Brandon questions, "Chase, right? Chase Dillon?"

The shorter boy nods and, with his best impersonation of confidence, answers, "That's me."

Brandon pulls his hand back and lets it fall back to his side. This helps Chase, his usual grin smacked back onto his face. Sticking his hands in his pockets, he says, "Brandon Jacob? Nice to officially meet you, man. I've heard a lot of promising things."

Brandon chuckles and replies, "Yeah, well, I'm not here to become best friends with you. You know Mariana Foster?"

After thinking for a few seconds, Chase responds, "Vice principal's kid? Callie's little sister? Man, Callie's hot. What a nice set of-"

"Alright, alright, that's enough. Mariana. Do you know her or not?

I roll my eyes, not completely surprised considering that's borderline the response I usually get from guys. I notice that Brandon's body has slightly stiffened, but I assume it's just because he's uncomfortable with people talking about his foster sister that way.

Once Chase nods, Brandon questions, "She's cute, right?"

"Pretty cute, yeah. Nice smile, nice lips. I like that."

The tips of my mouth quickly rise, forming a beaming grin as Brandon replies, "Yeah, well, I think you should ask her to go to the luau with you."

Chase scoffs and chuckles, "And why should I listen to you?"

Brandon smirks and looks around behind him, avoiding my curious gaze. After scanning through the crowded hallway, he leans towards Chase and quietly says something. Chase's eyes slightly widen, but he shakes his head and brushes it off.

He coughs and says, "I'll ask her at the end of the day."

Brandon nods and spins on his heels, walking back to me. Once he reaches me, I adjust the bag hanging from my shoulder and follow him while pestering, "What'd you say?"

He slyly grins and states, "I threatened to shove something up of something in a not-so-gentle way."

**Other than the Wyatt/Jesus part, I like this chapter. The only reason that scene bugged me was because of the way I wrote it. It sounded better in my head, and it was just hard to express it in words. Oh well, I hope you guys enjoyed it! Chase and Connor have officially been introduced, and you got to see more of Wyatt. **

**Next Chapter : Mike returns. Brallie moments. A parent-teacher conference causes Stef and Lena to discuss something serious.**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: **It really feels like five people are reading this story. Guys, it's annoying to pester about it, but your comments in that little box below genuinly help and motivate.

Hope you enjoy this chapter!

**I do not own The Fosters or the characters.**

[Lena]

_Knock, knock. _

Straightening out the stack of papers in my hand, I call, "Come in!"

The door to my office slowly opens, revealing Mike in his uniform. He smiles and greets, "Hey, Lena."

I furrow my eyebrows and question, "Mike? What are you doing here?"

Immediately, panic hits my mind. I stand up from behind my desk while asking, "Is everything okay? Is it Stef? Did she get hurt?"

Immediately, he shakes his head and replies, "No, no, of course not. I'm just on my lunch break, so I decided to swing by, see my kids and all that."

The tips of my lips rise into a small smile as I say, "Your kids?"

Realizing his choice of words, Mike widens his eyes and rambles, "What? Oh, no, my goodness, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to say that."

I let out a laugh and respond, "Mike, it is perfectly fine. Although it isn't an ideal situation, you are a major figure in their lives. Whenever Stef and I have too much on our plate, we're really grateful that you're always there to pitch in and help out."

The man before me lets out a chuckle and says, "I hope it doesn't bother you when I say this, but those kids… They're my entire life."

I nod and state, "We wouldn't have it any other way."

After a quick moment of silence, I mention, "Shouldn't Stef be with you?"

He stuffs his hands into his pockets and answers, "Captain Roberts partnered her up with a rookie today, just to show him the ropes. Oh, by the way, she wanted me to tell you that she'll be able to make it to that conference with Jude's teacher today."

I release a sigh, relieved that she'd be coming. A thought, however, occurs. I lift my hand up to my forehead and mutter, "Great. I don't have anyone to pick up the kids."

Looking up and seeing Mike's confused expression, I explain, "The plan was for the kids to hang out in Timothy, their literature teacher's, classroom after school. They were supposed to help him grade papers and sort stuff, and Stef would pick them up when she got off of work. Now, though, with both of us in the meeting that will last until 5, the kids have nowhere to go, considering Timothy leaves at 4:30."

A million thoughts jumble in my mind as I try to think of a solution.

"I can pick them up."

I look up at Mike and furrow my eyebrows. "Are you sure? It's not too much to ask?"

He shakes his head and softly smiles. "Like you said, I'm here whenever you two need me."

With my hand now over my heart, I reply, "Thank you, Mike, really. You are more than welcome to stop by for dinner anytime this week."

He laughs and looks down at his feet. Suddenly, a name slides into my mind. I immediately recall the scene that happened last Thursday night and quietly say, "You know, Brandon is one of the kids now."

Mike lets out a sigh before responding, "I know I wasn't completely on board with him, and I'm sorry. I just… I'm worried. I don't want him to be a bad influence on them. Callie, Jesus, Mariana, Jude.. They're all broken, I know that, but you and Stef… You two have built them back up. I just don't want this kid to come along and ruin all of that."

My heart slightly drops in shock, considering I never realized that Mike felt this way. In a comforting tone that I usually use on the children, I reply, "It's hard, I know. You just need to trust our decision. Stef and I would never choose a path that would put our kids in harm's way. Believe it or not, Mike, but Brandon is just as broken as they were. He deserves a second chance."

Taking a moment to absorb everything I just told him, Mike nods and hoarsely says, "Yeah, I know. I'll give him a chance, I promise."

He looks up and smiles, causing me to do the same.

* * *

[Brandon]

Once Mariana walks off to the bathroom, I round the corner of the halls and spot brown waves of hair. I smile and walk towards the girl, focused on putting books in her locker.

I lean my left shoulder against the metal compartment beside her and greet, "Hey, stranger."

Callie chuckles and responds, "Hey, there."

While pulling out a purple spiral and putting it in her bag, she mentions, "So, my one of my friends just told me that she saw you talking to Chase Dillon. Strange choice of acquaintances, if you ask me. What was that about?"

I laugh and state, "Just helping your sister snag her dream guy as her date to the luau."

She raises her eyebrows and questions, "Yeah, well, how did that work out?"

With a shrug, I answer, "Successful. You know, he mentioned that you were kind of a looker."

Amusement and sarcasm lacing her tone, she replies, "Oh, did he?"

I smirk and respond, "Sure did, m'lady."

After she shuts her locker and leans against it, facing me, I ask, "What about you? Are you and Wyatt going together?"

"I don't know, maybe. He's not really into school functions, though."

Great, speaking of the hair model. I look down the hallway and see him standing outside of the Literature classroom, being reprimanded by Timothy. Wyatt notices and slightly narrows his eyes.

As his gaze locks dead on mine, Callie questions, "Are you going with anyone?"

I turn back to her shining brown eyes and reply, "Doubt it. None of the girls around here have caught my attention."

She lets out a light laugh and jokes, "After eighteen months with nothing but guys, Brandon Jacob has standards?"

In the distance behind her, I see Wyatt glaring at us while Timothy waves his finger around him. I take this as an opening and let a smile fall onto my face.

Taking a few steps towards Callie, I state, "Guess I'm too focused on how great you are."

Nothing holds me back as I lift my left hand up and push her hair behind her ear. She continues to stare at me, forming a closed-mouth grin, matching the smile that I was beaming towards her as I pulled my hand back. A man's voice, however, interrupts our moment.

"Hey, Cals."

Immediately, Callie snaps her head to her left and scrunches up her eyebrows. "Mike? What are you doing here?"

As the oh-so-familiar police officer approaches us, I nudge myself off the lockers and stand up straighter. Mike smiles, seeing the teenage girl, and says, "I was just dropping in, seeing how you kids were doing. Oh, I'm taking all of you home and staying there until your moms get back from some conference with Jude's teacher."

Callie nods as the uniformed man turns to me. The tips of his mouth slowly fall, but they still remain in a small grin. "Hey, Brandon."

Not showing my taken aback reaction, I nod and quietly respond, "Hey, Mr. Foster."

With a chuckle, he replies, "It's Mike, man. Mike."

Well, this is different.

* * *

[Stef]

I rush down the hallway while apologizing, "I am so sorry. That damn rookie drove so far below the speed limit that, I swear, I should've arrested him for obstructing traffic."

Lena laughs at my franticness once I reach her and responds, "It's perfectly fine, hon. 4:20. You're right on time."

"Mike already picked up the kids, right?"

She nods and states, "He just texted me that they're doing homework right now."

I let out a sigh of relief before planting a kiss on my partner's cheek. After pulling back, I question, "Ready?"

"As ready as I ever am whenever one of our children's teachers wants to meet up with us."

I chuckle, remembering all of our past experiences with educators that don't know how to handle the bubbly personalities of our household. "Right, right. Mariana's meltdown about a girl with the same project idea in fifth grade, Callie almost being involved in a locker room brawl in freshman year, and then Jesus over his attitude two weeks ago. Let the party begin."

As we intertwine the fingers of our hands, Lena brings up, "Just remember, Mrs. Fink only started being Jude's History teacher three weeks ago. She's filling in for Mrs. Simmons while she's on maternity leave."

I nod, recalling all the information that Jude came home with last month about a new teacher. With a squeeze to her thin hand, I open the door to the classroom and enter first, Lena following close behind. A woman who looked to be in her fifties glanced up from behind a large wooden desk. She smiled and stood up, also taking off her glasses and setting them on a stack of papers.

"You must be Jude's mothers. Please, come in."

Lena and I unhook our hands and sit down in the two chairs pulled up in front of the desk. As the woman sits down, she greets, "It's nice to finally meet you, Mrs. Adams."

I slightly widen my eyes at the name and correct, "Ms. Foster."

She looks taken aback and hastily replies, "Oh, I am so sorry. I just assumed that you two were married."

Lena gives her a soft smile and responds, "It's perfectly fine, Linda. Just an honest mistake."

Mrs. Fink shakes her head, trying to clear the embarrassment off her face, and says, "Right, well, getting to the order of business… I called for your presences because Jude has been having a problem with… bullying."

My partner nods and states, "Yes, we've had a run-in with this situation many times before."

The older woman nods and continues, "Well, it seems to be the same group of boys. I've punished them, believe me. One student is actually suspended, at the moment, for shoving Jude into a set of lockers. I asked a few of Jude's friends why they thought he was being the constant target, and, well… They all said the same thing. It's… It's his choice of… expression."

It takes a while for me to puzzle the pieces together, but after a few seconds, the gears in my head finish turning. I shoot her a raised eyebrow and question, "The nail polish?'

Looking down at her desk, Mrs. Fink nods and quietly says, "I just… I think it would be best if Jude stopped wearing it to school."

Lena leans forwards, setting her elbows on her knees, and replies, "Listen, Linda. We know that it isn't typical for 12 year-old boys to wear nail polish, but if that's what Jude wants, we are in no position to tell him otherwise. We're not telling our son to stop being himself."

"I am just advising you to think about the repercussions of-"

Standing up, an angry expression evident on my face, I sternly interrupt, "I'd rather have my son physically bullied for being who he is instead of mentally and emotionally tortured for being who he doesn't want to be."

* * *

Once we pull into the driveway of the house, neither of us made a move to open our car door. Lena shifts her body to face me and reaches over to grab my hand.

"Are we bad parents?"

I turn my head towards her and respond, "No, sweetheart. We're just... different."

She sighs and mumbles, "How can we just let our son be bullied?"

I look down at our intertwined fingers and tell her, "There is no way that we are going to sit by and let this happen. We'll talk to Jude, and we'll teach him how to handle these situations."

I lift my head and look into her gleaming brown eyes. Lena smiles and says, "I love you, Stefanie Foster."

With a squeeze to her hand, I reply, "I love you, too, babe."

After a few short seconds pass, she slowly brings up, "So, that name mix-up was kind of weird, huh?"

I nod and stifle out a chuckle. "Yeah, you're telling me."

While rubbing my thumb, she questions, "Have you ever thought about it, though? You know, getting married?"

I sigh and respond, "Honey, you know we already have too much on our plate."

She nods and says, "Oh, believe me, I know. I was just wondering."

Obviously a lie, but I decide not to press into it and let her be. Seeing a slightly disappointed look in her eyes, I grip her hand tighter and whisper, "No document could ever completely define my love for you."

**Little foreshadowing here and there. Hope you guys enjoyed! I'm really not a big fan of how I wrote the parent-teacher conference and the Lena/Stef ending scene. No matter how many tweaks I make, it just doesn't come out like it did in my head.**

**Please be sure to drop a review and tell me what you thought! It really does help and motivate me, guys. Also, feel free to drop a theory or a suggestion! I'm still open to pairings, family or romantic, that y'all would like to see more of. (:**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: **D'aww, thank you for the love and support, amazing readers. You guys are great at theories, aha. Someone predicted what's going to happen in the future. Since a guest brought it up, I figured I should address this. So, I realize that the **Brallie relationship **is moving at a slow pace. Sorry about that, guys. I just really don't want to rush into things and put them in "heavy" moments when this is only the second week since Brandon's arrival. Also, I made a point at the beginning about including many family issues instead of having Brallie be the main concept, so that's another reason why they're coming in small portions right now. We're getting closer to the point, though, where they start to recognize their feelings for each other. Hint: Watch out for Anchor Beach's Luau. (;

Another subject brought up was **Brandon/Mike**. I am so glad that you guys are enjoying that pairing so far. I've got a heartfelt scene between the two planned out, and let me just say that even thinking about it gives me feels. Those of you who want or believe Brandon is Mike's biological son.. I have ideas planned out for these two.. and that's all I shall say.

Anyway, some of the pairing requests were Callie/Jesus, Jude/Mike, and of course, more Brallie, so here you go!

**I do not own The Fosters.**

[Jesus]

With a bored expression plastered on her face, Callie enters my bedroom while muttering, "What do you want now, Jesus?"

I laugh and lean back in my desk chair, resting my hands on my belt buckle. "Come, come, sit."

She scoffs and takes a seat on Jude's bed, propping her feet up and making herself comfortable, all while saying, "What do you need, young one?"

Rolling my eyes at the nickname, I respond, "Just wanted to talk to my favorite older sister. We never just sit down and chat anymore."

Callie raises an eyebrow and scoffs, "Alright, how much money do you need to borrow?"

I shoot her a "Ha-Ha" look and reply, "Very funny, but I'm not kissing up so that you'll give me something. I really just want to talk."

A few seconds of silence pass, Callie just shooting me a look, as if she were trying to analyze me. After sighing, she starts, "If this is about the birds and the bees or how your body is changing-"

A disgusted expression grows on my face as I interrupt, "What?! No! God, no!"

I shake my head and claw at my hair, trying to get the various images out of my head, while Callie just laughs and smirk. Once I regain my calmness, I groan and spit out, "Is there something going on between you and Brandon?"

I can tell that she's taken aback by the question. Her jaw drops slightly, but she shakes it off and replies, "I have a boyfriend, Jesus. Why would you even ask that?"

I shrug and answer, "Wyatt came up to me in study hall today, asked if Brandon had a thing for you."

"And what'd you tell him?"

"I just said that I'm not Brandon, so I don't know, but if he's that jealous, he should go to you and tell him to back off."

As she's processing the information, I add, "You should talk to him, sis. He seems kind of worried that maybe-"

This time, it's her turn to cut in, saying, "There is nothing going on between me and Brandon, okay?"

I nod and mumble, "Okay, but tell that to your boyfriend."

She sighs and stands up while asking, "Anything else?"

I shake my head and respond, "Nope, not that I know of."

Running her hand through her hair, Callie begins to walk out. When she reaches the open doorway, she turns half of her body and furrows her eyebrows at me.

"Have you taken your pills today?"

I begin to rub the back of my neck while replying, "Um, well.. I'll take them right now."

Chuckling, she exits and closes the door while muttering, "You better."

Once the door is completely shut, I spin around in my chair and reach for the small bottle in the corner. Popping open the cap and tilting the container, five pills fall onto my palm, three more than the requirement.

Taking more than needed can't hurt, though, right?

* * *

[Jude]

_Ph + 2B_. Wait, what did _h_ mean? Was it the height of the base or the height of the prism?

"Do you want a snack, bud?"

Looking up, I see Mike entering the kitchen, tucking his phone into his pocket. I open my mouth to respond, but a thought hits my mind. Immediately, I drop my pencil onto the thick homework packet and fly my hands to underneath the island. The grown man furrows his eyebrows and uses his elbows to lean over the table.

With a worried expression, he asks, "What's going on, Jude?"

Looking down at my lap, I mumble, "Nothing. I'm fine."

Mike crosses his arms over his chest and sits down on the stool across from me, his familiar "try me" expression on his face. "Oh, yeah? Then why are you trying to hide your hands from me? Put them on the table."

Way too quickly, I state, "There's nothing wrong with my hands."

"So why won't you let me see them?"

After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, I realize that he's not going to give up. Slowly and reluctantly, I raise my shaking palms and set them on either side of my homework.

"Open."

I sigh at Mike's orders and open my clenching fists, the blue coat of nail polish shining under the light. I look down at the math problems in front of me, not wanting to see his reaction. Instead of raised eyebrows or a furious expression, though, Mike simply looks at me confusedly.

Curiosity coating his voice, he questions, "Why didn't you want me to see your nails, bud?"

I keep my head down, not wanting to say anything. This, however, doesn't satisfy Mike, considering he adds, "Jude, I think of you like a son. As my child, I want to know when something's up."

My heart smiles at Mike calling me his own, but I don't show any external reaction to it. Instead, I gaze down at my lap and softly explain, "Two years ago, when you saw me trying on Mariana's shoes, you wouldn't look at me for a month. I didn't want you to be disappointed again."

For the first time in forever, the house is silent, the only sound being our neighbor's lawnmower outside. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Mike hop off his stool and walk around the island, planting himself on the seat beside me. I take this as a cue to tear my eyes away from my homework and look over at him.

With a sympathetic smile, he says, "Jude, it really kills me inside that you're comfortable being yourself with everyone but me. No man wants his kid to think of him as some judgmental monster. I know it was wrong to disrespect you like that, believe me. I didn't know you as well as I do now, though. Two, three years ago, you were just the little boy that Stef and Lena were fostering. Now, you're their son. Not just theirs, but mine, too. I was honestly hoping you wouldn't remember that moment, but you do, and I'm sorry. I don't think there's anything wrong with you, bud. I don't. I think you're a great kid with a big heart, and this family is grateful to have you."

A bright grin is soon plastered onto my face, an ear-to-ear beam of teeth. Mike widens his own smile and sticks his fist out.

"We good?"

I nod, bumping my fist against his, and reply, "We're good."

* * *

[Callie]

After shutting Jesus's bedroom door and turning around, I find myself colliding with another body. A tall body. Way too tall to be a Foster. The figure grabs my elbows, making sure I don't fall backwards. Looking up, my eyes meet a familiar, shining pair.

Brandon grins and jokes, "Whoa, careful there. Wouldn't want you to lose your footing."

I laugh and slide out of his grasp, a smile forming on my face. As Brandon straightens out his flannel, I tilt my head and ask, "Do you have any homework tonight?"

"Just a few Algebra problems."

Raising an eyebrow and dropping his grin to a smirk, he questions, "Why?"

An equally as smug expression on my face, I respond, "Maybe we could jam out a little

Chuckling and looking down at the ground, he replies, "Yeah, I'd like that."

When he looks up, we simply stare at each other, not a sound passing the atmosphere around us. A few seconds fly by before I clear my throat and ask, "How do you like Mission Bay so far?"

"Oh, well, you know. This house is pretty great."

I shoot up my eyebrows, honestly surprised, and scoff, "So you like it here?"

"Are you kidding? Nice homemade meals, a bed to sleep in…"

He stops for a moment and smiles, taking a step forward. As his hand reaches up and brushes against my cheek, pushing my hair behind my ear, he softly finishes, "Amazing people to be around."

I can't help but grin at his action, repeating itself for the second time today. Not wanting to put too much into it, I wipe the memory from my mind and continue, "How about Anchor Beach? Enjoying the rich kid, Malibu Barbie hospitality?"

A laugh escapes Brandon's lips before he answers, "It's rough. Being stared at, hearing rumors about yourself everywhere… Nothing I'm not used to, though. The only thing that's different is the fact that it's frowned upon if I shove my fist down another guy's throat for insulting me."

With a chuckle, I say, "Stick around long enough, and I'll teach you a thing or two."

A smirk clear as day on his face, he leans down and tells me, "Challenge accepted."

**Well, I didn't completely despise this chapter. Hope you guys enjoyed! Originally, I had the Jude/Mike conversation first, but I wanted to mix it up instead of giving you two Brallie scenes straight. What do y'all think? Be honest, it's perfectly fine. I know it was pretty rusty. Heads up, though. I'm going to try to in cooperate more Jesus/Callie moments. I absolutely adore them as a family pairing.**

**As always, be sure to drop a review and let me know whatever you'd like! **


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: **I am so incredibly glad that you guys enjoyed the pairings in Chapter 15! I was actually really surprised. I thought that since Callie/Jesus and Mike/Jude were a little out there, maybe I didn't play it out right, and the fact that my writing was rough in that chapter just made it even worse. Also happy that y'all liked the Brallie flirting going on! Gosh, so grateful for all the positive feedback. Thank you so much!

PLEASE ANSWER THE QUESTION AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE.

**I do not own The Fosters or the characters.**

[Jesus]

Pounding my fist against the wooden door, I yell, "Mariana! Callie!"

With a few more hits, the knob wiggles and the door quickly flies open. Standing on the other side of the open entry is Mariana, her nose scrunching up as she groans, "Put on a shirt, bonehead."

I roll my eyes and push past her, feeling the softness of her robe against my bare shoulder along the way. I see Callie with her phone on her bed, her hair in a disheveled ponytail while she wore a black tank top and dark jeans.

"Have you seen my green shirt? Mom said you did the laundry on Sunday."

She looks up from the small screen, hops off her mattress, and glides over to her guitar. After she picks up a green V-neck from the top of the instrument and tosses it to me, she crosses her arms over her chest and smirks.

Amusement laces her voice as she brings up, "So, Jude told me that you're going to ask Jessica Minazi to the luau?"

I open my mouth to respond, but before I can, Mariana walks up beside me and cuts in, "_Jessica Minazi_? You're insane. She's been stuffing her bra since eighth grade."

Callie chuckles, looks at me, and says, "Don't even bother. Lena told me yesterday that we're not allowed to bring dates, said that since we _have_ to go, going with someone else would fall under being grounded. We'll be working the whole time."

Mariana drops her jaw and shouts, "_What?! _No! Chase was supposed to ask me to be his date today!"

A laugh escapes my lips, as well as a devious smile at the furious girl, before I begin to walk out the room. I shut the door behind me and slide on my shirt as I walk towards the staircase and down the steps. Finally reaching the kitchen, I see Jude and Brandon eating across from each other at the island, Stef sitting next to Jude and Lena standing beside Brandon, pouring coffee into a mug.

As I take a seat to the left of Brandon, I hear Stef say, "So, Brandon, Bill called. He's coming by on Saturday, just to talk about how you're doing and things like that."

I notice the teenage boy beside me slightly stiffen up, and obviously Lena does, too, because she sets the coffee pot down while telling him, "Nothing to worry about, sweetheart. All he wants to do is see if this house is the best fit for you."

Brandon eases down, letting his shoulders shrug as he replies, "It is, really. It's great here."

Both of the moms smile at each other before Lena sits down across from Stef, on the other side of Brandon. While I grab a few strips of bacon from the large plate in the middle and put it on the one in front of me, I hear the sound of footsteps rushing down the stairs. Soon enters the two sisters of the Foster family, Mariana now fully dressed while Callie hopped around, shoving her right foot into a black combat boot.

Jude and I laugh at our older sister's struggle as Mariana sits down on the other side of the small boy, questioning, "Moms, is it true that we're going to be working at the luau for the whole time?"

Lena takes a sip of her coffee before nodding and answering, "All of you are still grounded for going to that party, remember? Not going isn't an option, so not being able to enjoy it is the next best thing."

Stef stifles out a laugh, causing Lena to do the same before continuing, "I already told Principal Sanchez that, since we were short on volunteers, all of you would be pitching in. Callie's working the bar, Jesus is selling food, Brandon's controlling the music, and Mariana, you're running the booth that has the glow sticks, leis, and all that."

Callie sighs in relief after slipping on the shoe. She grabs the maroon shirt that was wrapped around her waist and slips it over her shoulders, sitting down at the head of the island while Jude questions, "I don't have to work the whole time, too, do I?"

Lena smiles and responds, "No, sweetheart. You're free after an hour of helping Jesus at the snack shack."

The younger boy nods and continues to dig into his scrambled eggs, Mariana immediately saying, "But moms, you don't understand. Sarah said that _Chase Dillon_ is asking me to be his date today. He's the hottest senior at Anchor Beach. I can't turn down a moment to be with him!"

Not looking up from her newspaper, Stef says, "And if he's a nice boy, he'll understand."

Although she doesn't let out the groan at the tip of her tongue, Mariana's eyes show her irritation. A few minutes of casual conversations pass before Lena stands up from her stool and announces, "Time for school!"

All of us stop eating our breakfast and get up, grabbing our backpacks from the counter and sliding them on. While the other four exit the kitchen and the moms say their goodbyes to each other in the doorway, I rush over to the basket behind me and pull out the bottle with "JESUS FOSTER" printed on its label. I pop open the cap and tilt the bottle, two pills falling onto my palm. Remembering how much energy I felt yesterday when I had more than I should've, I decide to shake one more out. I down the three pills with my orange juice and follow Lena out, making sure to hug Stef on the way.

* * *

[Callie]

Intertwining my fingers with Wyatt's, I lean back against my locker as he presses his lips to my forehead. As he pulls away, I softly smile and mention, "So, Jesus told me about the conversation you two had on Monday."

His gaze shifts to the ground as his grin falls from his face. I sigh and tell him, "You have nothing to worry about. We've known each other for two years. Do you think I'd throw all of that away on a guy who I met last week?"

Wyatt looks back at me and cocks his head to the side, questioning, "Nobody's told you about what happened at Mateo's party?"

I furrow my eyebrows and reply, "About me getting drunk? Yeah, trust me, the hangover helped me remember."

He opens his mouth to say something, but instead, shakes his head and says, "Right, right. I trust you, okay? There's just something off about him. He's bad news."

A laugh makes its way out of my mouth before I joke, "Just like Stef thought you were when we were fourteen?"

Rolling his eyes, Wyatt chuckles, "It's different. Come on, the guy got out of juvie less than two weeks ago, and now he's suddenly a good kid? Nobody just changes who they are that easily. You can't go from being the criminal to the hero overnight. He's got to be hiding something."

I'm not sure why, but a defensive bone snaps in my body. I remove my hands from his grasp, cross my arms over my chest, and respond, "Or maybe he just wants a second chance."

Shoving his hands into his pockets, he scoffs, "He's like a grenade, Callie. One day, he's going to shed that innocent act, and he's going to explode."

My mind flashes back to just eight days ago, to Brandon's first day at Anchor Beach, to the conversation we had in the courtyard. Wyatt interrupts my thoughts, adding, "You're going to get hurt."

An emotionless expression on my face, I state, "I already hurt."

With that, I adjust my backpack on my shoulders and turn on my heels, walking away from him.

* * *

[Brandon]

"_Happy Tuesday, Anchor Beach! Don't forget to purchase your tickets for our annual luau, taking place this Friday!"_

As the perky voice over the announcements drones on about where to buy tickets, I ask, "Wasn't I supposed to be working at the snack shack while Jesus was controlling music?"

Walking beside me, Mariana explains, "That's what Lena told the school, but Principal Sanchez made you guys switch, said that maybe kids would be too scared or freaked out to buy food from you."

I raise an eyebrow and chuckle, "Seriously, she said that?"

The shorter girl shrugs and replies, "Well, that's just how I interoperated in when I was eavesdropping on their conversation."

I let out a laugh and open my mouth to say something, but an approaching figure interrupts. None other than Chase Dillon stops in front of us, his hands in his pockets and a sly grin plastered on his face. Immediately, Mariana elbows my side, obviously signaling for me to leave. I smirk and stay put, crossing my arms over my chest.

Mr. Malibu Barbie turns to Mariana and asks, "Can I talk to you?"

A giddy smile under her nose, she giggles and stutters, "Y-yeah, sure."

Not tearing her eyes away from the senior before her, she extends her left arm and pushes me aside. I scoff and take the hint, straightening out my shirt and walking away from the two while joking, "Keep it PG."

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Chase laugh while Mariana shoots a death glare toward my direction, only making my smirk widen to a grin. After rounding the corner of the hall, I find myself colliding into a smaller body. Looking down, I see Callie, a furious expression present on her face.

Glaring anywhere but me, she mutters, "Sorry."

Furrowing my eyebrows, I question, "You okay there?"

Finally meeting my gaze, she responds, "What? Yeah, I'm fine."

I chuckle and mumble, "Don't test me, Foster."

She simply looks at me for a few seconds, a curious stare in her eyes. "Why do you even care?"

I shrug and state, "Because I care about you."

"You barely even know me."

I'm not sure why, but the tips of my lips rise into a small smile. Taking a step forward, I tell her, "I already know everything that I need to know about you."

Apparently, that was a key to the lock she held up, because after letting out a sigh, Callie confesses, "It's just Wyatt. He thinks there's something going on between us, and that you're just pretending to be nice so you can catch us off guard."

Amusement hitting my head, I raise an eyebrow and question, "Really?"

She nods and continues, "He thinks that you're going to hurt us when we least expect it."

I take in a breath while thinking about a good way to respond. After a moment, I say, "I'm not going to tell you that you can trust me, because you can't."

Callie opens her mouth to object, but I interrupt, "You can't, Foster. You just can't. Trust is like an emotional tie. I don't want you to get attached, Cal, 'cause Wyatt's right. When I'm gone, so is the trust, and you _will_ get hurt."

Her eyebrows furrow, her mind processing what I just said. In a small voice, she questions, "You think they're going to take you away?"

I nod and shrug, not taking it as a big deal. Callie shakes her head and replies, "Bill wouldn't do that. He wants to find somewhere permanent for you. If you like it here, he'll let you stay."

Not even thinking about it, I spit out, "And when your moms don't want me anymore?"

The teenage girl before me slightly drops her jaw, taken aback. "That's not going to happen."

I ignore her comment and run a hand through my hair, saying, "Look, you don't have to trust me, but you can believe me when I say that I won't intentionally hurt you or your family."

Callie simply stares at me, an unreadable gleam in her eyes. It stays like that for a few seconds, before an overly excited Foster runs up to us, an ear-to-ear grin beaming from her face.

Mariana, her voice coated with happiness, tells us, "Chase said that he doesn't care if I'm working the whole time. He said he'll hang out at my table for the whole luau!"

Turning to me, the peppy girl adds, "Thank you _so _much, Brandon. You're the best!"

Quickly, she rises on her tip toes, wraps her arms around my neck, and gives me a short hug before flashing another bright smile and skipping away. I chuckle and look back at Callie, a small smile forming on her face.

Crossing her arms over her chest, she states, "You're a good guy, Jacob."

I form a smirk and question, "And how do you know that?"

With a shrug, she responds, "Because I know you."

Callie begins to walk away, but after a few steps, she stops beside me and repeats my words, saying, "Well, I know everything that I _need_ to know about you."

**I finished this up while watching Sherri on Law and Order: Criminal Intent. As if she wasn't great enough playing the villain on SVU.**

**Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! What do you think will happen to Jesus if he keeps taking too many pills? Will Callie ever find out about the kiss? Is Wyatt right, is Brandon's personality just an act to hurt the Foster's? What do you think's going to happen at B's meeting with Bill? Oh, and we can't forget about Mariana. What will happen between her and Chase at the luau? Be sure to tell me your theories, as well as suggestions and comments, in a review!**

**QUESTION: **What character would y'all like to see more of? I feel like I should be incooperating more of the adults and Jude, which I will definitely work on.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: **Thank you so much for all of the feedback! All of you never fail to make me smile. **MsPurchase**, I really like that idea about Callie and the kiss! I'll be sure to include it, giving you credit, of course.

Okay, so, the Mariana/Callie pairing has been highly requested. I've got this big Mariana plotline in mind that Callie can play a part in, but I'm still on the fence about it. Also, Brandon/Jesus was asked for. This chapter will somewhat dig into that, but more between the two will be in Chapter 18 and further.

**I do not own The Fosters or the characters.**

[Jesus]

Rushing through the bathroom, I peer under every stall to make sure nobody else is present. After glancing back at the door to confirm that the coast is clear, I head over to the sink, setting my water bottle on it. I pull out my pill bottle from the pocket in my red gym shorts and quickly twist the cap open. Two pills fall into my mouth once I shake the small orange tube. Holding the medicine on my tongue, I slap the cap back on and open my water bottle, immediately lifting it to my mouth. After I chug down enough liquid and feel the pills slide down my throat, I take a final swallow and set the water back on the sink, right beside the nearly empty plastic vial with my name on it. My panting grows harsher as I feel a twist in my stomach, causing me to hunch over, gripping the sink to keep my body up. My eyes shut as tight as they can, my mouth barely containing the agonizing groan at the tip of my tongue. When the pain slightly eases, I open my eyes and look up at the mirror in front of me.

The rectangular glass reflects back the sweat falling from my forehead and seeping through my shirt, ill expression on my face and exhausted gleam in my eyes. To the side of the mirror, I see the bathroom door slowly opening. As soon as I see the figure entering, I shut my mouth, concealing the panting.

"Jesus?"

I shake my head before nudging myself off the sink and turning around. Faking a small smile, I greet, "Hey, bud. Shouldn't you be in class?"

Jude, a curious expression on his face, explains, "We're out of paper towels in Art, so Miss Harlem sent me to get some. What are you doing here?"

An excuse immediately flying into my mind, I lie, "Um, I fell when I was running outside, so Coach Richardson let me come in and clean up."

He nods, but I can tell that he doesn't believe me. Looking down at my gym uniform, he says, "Eighth period just started ten minutes ago. Why are you so sweaty?"

"Oh, well… You know how it is, bud. Athletics is rough."

In hopes to convince him, I let out a laugh that, unfortunately, comes out shaky. Jude must've noticed, because he gives me an analyzing stare. I run my hands through my messy hair as uncomfortable tension fills the atmosphere. After a few seconds, I notice Jude tilt his head and look behind me.

"Why do you have your pills?"

My eyes widen and I turn back to the sink, realizing that I left the medicine just out in the open. Walking back and shoving the bottle back into my pocket, I mumble, "Oh, I just.. I have a huge Algebra test next period, and I wanted to make sure my mind is fully focused. That's all."

"But didn't you already take some this morning?"

With a slight grin, I add, "A little more concentration never hurt anyone, right?"

Seeing his unconvinced expression, I sigh and say, "Don't worry about me, bud, okay? I'm fine. I'll see you after school."

Leaving the conversation at that, I ruffle his hair and exit the bathroom.

* * *

"What's wrong, Foster? Can't keep up?"

Rolling my eyes at the chuckles of guys running by, I stop and hunch over, grabbing my knees and heavily panting. Soon, Brandon jogs up, stopping beside me.

"You okay, Jesus?"

I nod and look down at my tennis shoes as he asks, "Want me to get Coach Richardson?"

Although I know he's just trying to help, anger boils in the pit of my stomach. I stand up, wipe away the sweat from my forehead, and snap, "I'm fine, alright?"

Shoving off his hand from my shoulder, I shake my head and make an attempt to start running again. After one step forward, though, my legs give out and I collapse to the ground. A groan escapes my lips as I slowly sit up, clutching onto my stomach. Brandon immediately kneels down in front of me, a concerned expression on his face.

"You need to go to the nurse."

I shake my head and mutter, "I'm fine, really."

He looks at me with a strange expression for a moment, which leads to asking, "Have you taken your pills today?"

The pain is soon joined by annoyance. I scoff and yell, "Yes, okay?! I've taken five!"

The older boy's eyes widen before he replies, "What? Jesus, you're only supposed to have two a day. Do you know what taking too many could do to you?"

Letting the aggravation take over, I force myself to stand up, saying, "I don't need a lecture, and I really don't need your help."

As I trudge away with a limp, Brandon follows, telling me, "We have to get you to your mom. She needs to take you to the hospital or something."

Ceasing in the middle of the track, I turn to him and harshly hiss, "Just stop, alright? Stop pretending like you care. You've been here for a_ week._ We open up to you, but you don't trust us to do the same, so just leave me and my family alone."

Enough energy flows through my body for me to walk away, pain still twisting in my stomach with every step I take.

* * *

"He was only trying to help."

Removing the ice from my forehead and looking up, I sigh, already knowing that Brandon clued her in. I set the frozen pack on my nightstand and cross my arms over my chest, ignoring the massive ache in my head.

Using the power of being a mom, Lena reads my mind and says, "It wasn't Brandon. Coach Richardson called. A few kids heard you yelling and told him."

As she sits down on the edge of the bed, I reply, "I'll apologize to him after dinner."

Placing her thin hand on my knee, she tilts her head and asks, "What's going on, sweets? Are you feeling okay?"

There it is, again. Concern and sympathy and a worried expression. I sigh and answer, "I just wasn't feeling well."

"Is that your final answer?"

"Yes, mom, I'm fine."

Slight anger is present in my voice, which Lena obviously notices. She stands up while saying, "I know that's not the case, but I'll give you some time to think about changing your story while I talk to Mom."

After walking to the open door, she turns around and softly says, "I love you, hon."

Looking down to my lap, I mutter, "Love you, too, mom."

* * *

[Lena]

Entering the kitchen, I sigh and state, "Well, he's not saying anything."

Sitting at the island, Stef looks up from the mail and chuckles, "He's a fifteen year-old boy, babe. Getting him to admit something isn't so easy anymore."

I take a seat across from her while mumbling, "It used to be so easy for them to open up to us. Now, they only say something if we make them."

While standing up and heading over to the basket on the counter, my blond partner responds, "They're growing up."

Intertwining the fingers of my hands, I quietly whisper, "What happened to our babies?"

A laugh escapes her lips, but her smile soon falls after rummaging through the basket. Pulling out an orange prescription bottle, Stef asks, "Didn't Jesus have half a bottle of his ADHD pills last week?"

Once I nod, she holds up the bottle and states, "There's only three in here."

I furrow my eyebrows and reply, "What? That can't be right. He only takes two a day. There should still be plenty left."

Walking back to the island and setting the medicine in the center, Stef responds, "Well, there's not. Did he spill them or something?"

Shaking my head, I answer, "No, that can't be. He's done that twice before, and each time, he's always told us so we know to replace them."

"Then where the hell is his medication?"

After a few seconds of silence, a thought hits my mind, causing me to blurt out, "A few months ago, we expelled a group of students for selling pills and other prescription drugs."

With wide eyes, Stef questions, "Do you think one of the kids is stealing them?"

The room stays quiet for a moment, both of us deep in thought. As I stare at the name on the bottle's label, the woman across from me starts, "Do you think Brandon…"

Her voice fades, and her mouth shuts. While she shakes the thought from her mind, I say, "No, he wouldn't. Brandon's a good kid. He wouldn't do something like that, would he?"

Crossing her arms over her chest, Stef mentions, "Lena, he was arrested for dealing alcohol. Who's to say that he won't do it again?"

**Dun-dun-dun. Stef's losing faith in Brandon. How do you think this is going to turn out? Will Jesus come clean and confess? Let me know your theories, comments, and suggestions in a review!**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: **I am so sorry for the long wait. I suffered the biggest case of writer's block for the second half of this chapter. This should've been up yesterday, but my Doc Manager was being all wonky.

**Amo0325: **A lot more Brallie will be happening very soon! If everything goes as planned, the relationship will speed up after the luau.

**fallingoverstars: **I really miss my HTR stories. The show's cancellation struck me harder than I thought it would. It's like I've lost all inspiration. Just to make it worse, hardly anyone posts or reads in the archive anymore.

Please answer the question at the bottom of this page!

**I do not own The Fosters or the characters.**

[Callie]

Opening the door just slightly, I poke my head in and question, "Mom?"

Sitting at her desk with her office phone pressed to her ear, Lena holds her finger up, signaling for me to wait. I nod and fully enter the room, slowly shutting the door behind me. I sling the strap of my bag onto one of the arms of her coat rack and walk towards her desk, awkwardly rubbing my hands together.

With exasperation written on her face, she speaks into the phone, "I understand that, but-"

Stopping in front of her desk, I hear a muffled voice on the other end interrupt. I roll my lips in to prevent myself from laughing at her frustration, but the corners of my lips still tug into a small smile.

Lena begins to rub her right temple while saying, "Yes, George, I know, but I need pizzas and cupcakes by 6 PM on Friday."

After I sit down on the chair across from the desk, she nods at something the person says and replies, "Alright, just please, make it happen."

Leaving it at that, she slams the phone down on its holder, leans back in her chair, and shuts her eyes. I can't help but tease, "Rough call?"

Sitting back up and setting her forearms on the desk, Lena laughs and explains, "That was the school's caterer. He mixed up our paperwork with a wedding's. The man was going to bring steak and wine for the luau."

I smile and respond, "Well, that's tough. Did you call me in here to vent about the struggles of being a vice principal?"

Folding her arms together, she jokes, "Oh, no, I'm here to save you from another class period of hearing Hump Day chants."

I chuckle while Lena forms her own grin. Once the atmosphere is quiet again, she sighs and states, "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about Brandon."

Leaning back in the chair to make myself comfortable, I furrow my eyebrows and question, "Brandon? What about him?"

I notice that she's not at ease, but I decide to not point it out, instead listening to her say, "Well, I want to know how you feel about him staying with us."

I shrug and reply, "It's alright, I guess. It's nice to have someone I can relate to so much in the house."

"Oh, well, that's good, sweetie. Are you sure there's nothing else, though? Have you.. Have you seen him doing anything bad? Do you feel uncomfortable or unsafe with him around?"

Although I can tell this is far from the right time for this, I can't help but chuckle before answering, "Brandon's a good guy, mom. You have nothing to worry about."

Seeing the blank expression on her face makes me sit up straighter. Cocking my head to the side, I ask, "Did something happen?"

She lets out a sigh and stares down at her desk, as if she was thinking about whether to tell me or not. After a few seconds, Lena looks up and confesses, "Jesus's ADHD pills are disappearing quicker than they should be."

It takes a moment for me to connect the puzzle pieces, but once I do, I question, "You think Brandon's stealing them?"

When I see or hear no response, I tell her, "He didn't do it, mom. I've only known him for a week, and I don't trust him just yet, but I know he wouldn't do something like that. His file says otherwise, but so does mine, right?"

That was practically a shot in the heart to the woman across from me. She nods and bows her head down, deep in thought. I take this as a cue to leave. After I hop off the chair and move my bag from the coat rack to over my shoulder, Lena softly says, "You, Callie Foster, have been my daughter for two years now, and I have never seen you open up to someone new so easily."

Looking at me with curious eyes, she asks, "Why do you have so much faith in this boy?"

With a shrug, I state, "It's about time that somebody does."

* * *

[Brandon]

Come on, Jacob. Get your head in the game.

I squeeze my eyes shut and pull my body up, my knees slightly bent and my arms aching. Repeating the process I've been following for the last ten minutes, I straighten my elbows and escalate down, only to lift back up again. Quick breaths escape my mouth whenever I lower, reminding me to pace myself.

"I see you've found the bar."

Hearing the familiar voice, I cease after one final pull-up and turn around, lightly planting. Jesus walks in, shutting the door behind him, while informing, "Mike installed it years ago, back when he used to live here. We never got around to taking it out when Jude and Callie moved in."

As he plants himself down on the edge of the bed, he mentions, "I didn't think about it coming to use for you."

With a chuckle, I sit down on the bench behind the keyboard and say, "Bulking up is kind of a top priority in juvie. That and staying alive."

A laugh belts out of his mouth before his gaze falls to his knees. Not looking up, the younger teenager apologizes, "Sorry for snapping at you yesterday. I was a little off my game."

Lifting his head, Jesus spits out, "I'm not an addict, okay?"

He lets out a breath before continuing, "I'm not taking too much medication just to get high. My biological mom gave me and Mariana up because she was a junkie, and believe me, I don't want to be anything like her."

I let a few seconds of silence pass before asking, "So why are you doing it?"

He opens his mouth to say something but then closes it, shaking his head. I sigh and tell him, "You're a good foster brother, but you can't protect your family if you keep doing this."

He glares over to the dresser and mutters, "They've got you for that now."

Before I can let any words out, Jesus turns to me and goes on, "Callie's the golden child, puts us before herself no matter what. Mariana's like Little Miss Sunshine, won't sleep if she knows that someone in this house isn't okay. Then there's Jude, who's like a freaking angel, always positive and never fails to make us smile. What about me? What do I do?"

He scoffs before mumbling, "I just want to give everyone something to be proud of."

I raise an eyebrow and question, "Overdosing is the way to do that?"

Looking back at me, the teenage boy shrugs and says, "I'm done being the ADHD kid with a slow brain. When I'm hopped up on pills, no lap is too long, no test is too hard. I don't feel like an idiot, and that's worth it."

"Even if you constantly feel sick?"

"If it makes my family happy… yes."

He hops off the bed and heads to the door. After opening it, Jesus turns back to me and softly says, "Thanks for caring, but this is just something that I have to do."

* * *

As I enter, Callie looks up from her guitar and greets, "Hey, B."

Fixated on the magazine in her hands from her side of the room, Mariana asks, "What's up?"

I sigh and run a hand through my hair, stating, "I need to talk to you two."

**I hate how I ended this. Seriously. I was fine writing the Callie/Lena scene, but then it hit Brandon's point-of-view, and my brain zoned out. I must've rewritten in seven times, and I'm still not satisfied. Sorry, guys. Hopefully, the writer's block is gone. **

**Next Chapter: Mariana confronts Jesus. **

**QUESTION: **How do you guys want Brandon to react to the moms blaming Jesus's missing pills on him? Would you like him to understand or be angry?


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: **So, I know I've said this before, but just in case there are readers who are thinking about giving up on this story, I'll say it again. **After the luau, more characters and more plotlines will be included. **I really hate how I have the problem of centering on one person and forgetting about the rest of the family, but I can assure you, plots for all of the characters will pop up soon.

Guys, believe me, if I could change this story, I would. I would replace a lot of the previous chapters, but I can't. I can, however, move on from here and turn this into the story it was originally supposed to be. There'll be way more Brandon development, definitely, and more about his past will be discovered. Also, don't you think that I forget about Stef and Lena's plotline about marriage.

Just hang in there, my friends! I'll sort out the priorities soon.

**I do not own The Fosters or the characters.**

[Mariana]

"So, what's the deal with you and Wyatt? Are you guys, like, not talking or something?"

From behind my magazine, I see my older sister briefly glance at me before turning back to her guitar. Strumming, she answers, "We got into a little fight."

I look away from the One Direction article and raise my eyebrows at her. "A fight? About what?"

With a shrug, Callie states, "He just said some things about Brandon."

Immediately, my arms drop the magazine to my lap. Curiously, I ask, "What kind of things?"

"He thinks Brandon's bad news, and I don't like him being so judgmental."

When she removes her left hand from the neck of the instrument and begins to rub her nose, I say, "I know you haven't really been the jealous type with Wyatt, but it's easy to see where he's coming from. I mean, you had him in the friend zone for two years, and then, all of the sudden, this hunky new guy comes along, and it's like you've known each other forever."

As Callie looks over at me, I hear my phone ring. I grab it from the edge of the bed, telling her, "Maybe you should hear him out."

After pressing the lock button on the top of the phone, I read the text message preview on the screen.

**Kelsey  
**_Meet me in the bathroom by Timothy's before 1__st__ period . (;_

While I roll my eyes, Callie smirks and teases, "What about you and Chase Dillon? Don't think I didn't see you texting underneath the table at dinner."

I laugh and set the phone aside, replying, "He's been stopping by my locker every morning to say hi."

"Oh, really?"

I nod and brightly smile, biting my bottom lip. She laughs and looks down at her guitar, saying, "Just be careful, okay, Baby Sister? He has a bad reputation, and I don't want you getting hurt."

I laugh and joke, "Well, now look who's the judgmental one."

A death glare directs its way to me before a pillow launches itself at my face. With a devious smile, Callie focuses back on playing. I giggle and prepare to continue reading, but her question stops me.

"So, how do you feel about Brandon staying here?"

Shrugging, I respond, "It's great. He got me a date with my dream guy. Plus, it's nice to have a second chance."

Her eyes immediately snap from the guitar to me, furrowed eyebrows present. "What do you mean?"

I brush my hair behind my ear, explaining, "Well, when Lena brought you home three years ago, I wasn't exactly the nicest person."

With a scrunched up nose, she comments, "You were kind of a complete snob."

I can't help but laugh before replying, "Yeah, I was pretty mean. Then there was Jesus, who completely flipped out and turned into a jerk when he saw Jude playing Holly Polly computer games. I guess we weren't completely ready to share our moms, and we lashed it out onto you guys. I know I've said this a million times, but I'm really sorry about how I treated you."

Once she softly smiles and nods, I continue, "We didn't treat you the way we should've, but we're learning from our mistakes on Brandon."

Her grin widens as she lets out a chuckle. "I'd go over there and hug you, but that would feed a little too much into your ego."

This time, it's my turn to throw a pillow. She blocks it with her guitar and laughs, sliding it behind her back. I roll my eyes, a small smile on my lips, and lift my magazine up. Just a few seconds later, I hear footsteps in the hallway. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Brandon entering, a nervous expression on his face.

Callie looks up and greets, "Hey, B."

Turning the page, I question, "What's up?"

Running a hand through his hair, he states, "I need to talk to you."

* * *

Entering the room, I calmly order, "Jude, please get out."

Seeing my mood, the younger boy immediately gathers his homework and rushes out. Once I hear the door shut, I yell, "Couldn't get smart the normal way, Pill Popper?"

As he hops off his bed, Jesus mumbles, "Can't believe he told you."

With raised eyebrows, I scoff, "Sorry, was your drug problem supposed to be a secret?"

He rolls his eyes and states, "I'm not an addict."

Sarcastically, I mutter, "Of course not. That's totally not what an addict would say."

Fists clenched at his side, he shouts, "Shut up, Mariana! You don't know a damn thing!"

I glance behind him and notice the familiar orange bottle sitting on his desk. Ignoring his rant about how I need to mind my own business, I rush over and pick up the plastic vile. After shaking it and not hearing a sound, I spin around and throw it at his chest.

Anger lacing my voice, I snap, "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I need them, okay? I can't let my grades slip, and I have to be ready when I get taken off the bench in wrestling."

Although I can tell that isn't the whole story, I put that feeling aside and tell him, "So work-out and study! You always complain about being the kid with ADHD, but now you're shoving medication down your throat!"

Seeing the guilty expression wash over his face, I cross my arms and state, "You're just like Ana."

A flash of fury crosses through his eyes, taking over the sadness. Pointing a finger at me, Jesus replies, "_Don't_ compare me to her. She was a junkie that didn't give a damn about her family_."_

"Yeah, well, I guess that runs in the blood."

Gaining more attitude, I add, "If you cared about us, you wouldn't hurt yourself like this."

"I'm not hurting. I feel fine."

I let out a dry chuckle before responding, "Seriously? You're going to lie like that? Jesus, you've been sick and cranky for days."

"Just because I've taken a few more pills doesn't make me like Ana."

I roll my eyes and scoff, not believing him thinking he has the right to say that. This sparks the fire in the pit of his stomach even more, striking him to shout, "She left us, she abandoned us!"

"Because she was always high!"

Lowering my voice, I question, "What about when you're the one always hopped up on drugs? What if you hurt me like she hurt us?"

By now, I can feel water well up in my eyes. I watch as all anger falls from Jesus's body, now being covered by sadness. He begins to take slow steps towards me, quietly saying, "Mariana."

When I feel his hand touch my arm, I jump back, letting a tear fall down my cheek. "_Don't_."

He opens his mouth to say something, but the sound of the door interrupts him. Both of us look over, seeing Stef and Lena entering.

Stef crosses her arms over her chest and asks, "What's going on in here?"

**I was going to add more scenes, but I decided on including them in the next chapter, since this one is lengthy and dramatic enough. I hope all of you enjoyed seeing Mariana's moments with Callie and Jesus. Be sure to review your comments, suggestions, and theories!**

**Next Chapter: Stef and Lena confront Brandon, who turns to Callie for comfort. Jude just might start up some drama with another member in the house. **


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: **I'm sorry for the long wait! Alright, so this chapter takes place at the same time as Chapter 19, during Mariana's fight with Jesus. It starts when she first goes to his room and ends just before the moms go up there. Hope you enjoy!

**I do not own The Fosters or the characters.**

[Brandon]

Once Mariana stomps out of the room, I let out a heavy breath. Looking over at Callie, I ask, "Was that a bad call?"

She shakes her head, getting up from her bed, and replies, "You did the right thing. Jesus needs people to straighten him out."

Running a hand through my hair, I question, "Should we tell your moms?"

"Actually, speaking of the moms, I need to tell you something that Lena-"

Before she can finish, a voice from downstairs shouts, "Brandon, honey, can you come down here?"

I sigh and mumble, "Oh, this should be fun."

I begin to walk out of the room, but once I reach the doorway, I turn my head and give the teenage girl a small grin. "We can talk later?"

Pulling her lips into a fake smile, she responds, "Yeah, of course."

* * *

Entering the kitchen, I immediately notice the tense look on the faces of the two women sitting at the island. I take a seat across from them, asking, "Is everything okay?"

Folding her arms, Lena states, "We just need to talk to you."

I furrow my eyebrows as Stef clears her throat. In a calm voice, she says, "We gave Jesus a new bottle of ADHD medication last week, and yesterday, we noticed that too many pills were gone."

My jaw slightly drops at how quickly they caught on. "Wow, so, you know?"

I can tell Lena's taken aback, although I'm not sure why. She shakes her head of her thoughts and responds, "Yes, Brandon, we know, and we aren't happy about it."

I nod in agreement, telling her, "I get why you'd be mad, but-"

Sternly, Stef cuts in, "No, Brandon, no but's. This kind of behavior is unacceptable in our house. We let you into our home in hopes that something like this wouldn't happen, but obviously, our expectations were too high."

Before she can continue, Lena jumps in, "We just don't understand why you would do something like this."

Completely caught off guard, I question, "What are you talking about?"

"Brandon, you just admitted to taking Jesus's pills."

Quickly, my brows shoot up, and my eyes widen. "You think I took them?"

A dry chuckle belts out of Stef's mouth, before she mutters, "I think you sold them. Was this some twisted get-rich-quick scheme they taught you in juvie?"

Lena's eyes pop open just as wide as mine while she shouts, "Stef!"

Turning to me, she softly asks, "Brandon, did you use them to focus in school? If so-"

Her blonde partner interrupts, saying, "Please, Lena. He probably just needed the money to buy his own drugs."

Immediately, I hop off the stool, angrily replying, "I don't know what you've heard, but I didn't steal his pills. That'd be the easy way out, though, right? To assume the alcoholic criminal did it instead of your golden kids?"

Starting to lose her calm, Lena starts, "That is not how we think of you. We-"

Standing up from her seat, Stef cuts in, "No, that's _exactly_ how we think of you, because we raised our children well."

I conceal my eye roll and, instead, sarcastically argue, "Right, and just because I didn't grow up in this Brady Bunch means I'm the bad guy."

In a stern voice, Lena responds, "That's enough, Brandon. You're being disrespectful."

"Respect? How about my respect? I thought I found people that believed in me."

Under my breath, I mutter, "You're just pinning this as my fault because you don't want to believe that your family isn't full of angels."

Pointing a finger at me, Stef states, "Our kids wouldn't do something like this."

Even though I know I shouldn't, I can't help but snap, "Obviously, you don't know your son well enough."

Not letting them get another word into it, I spin around and stomp out, hearing Lena tell Stef to calm down in the background. In the hallway, I get a small sight of Jude in the dining room, a textbook in front of him, but luckily, he's got earphones plugged in. I sigh in relief and hop onto the first step of the stairs. Looking up, I bite the inside of my cheek at the girl sitting towards the top of the staircase. Seeing me, she scoots to her right and points to the spot beside her with her elbow.

Trudging up the steps, I question, "You sure you want to talk to a drug trafficker?"

As I sit down next to her, Callie jokes, "I'm always up for a challenge."

I let out a chuckle, showing my appreciation to her for trying to lighten the mood. After a few seconds of just staring at the hallway, she takes in a breath and mentions, "Lena pulled me into her office at school today, said that she and Stef thought you were stealing the pills."

I nod and, once the information sets in my brain, tell her, "I didn't do it."

"I know."

I turn my head to face her and see her looking down at our shoes while adding, "I told her that the Brandon I knew would never do something like that."

My heart begins to beat heavily, so much that it aches in my chest, but I ignore it and start, "Callie-"

The teenage girl looks over to me and interrupts, "I know you said not to trust you, but that doesn't mean I have to lose faith in you."

Since no words come to my mind, I reach over and brush strands of wavy hair behind her ear, letting my fingers lightly stroke her cheek as I pull my hand away. She softly smiles at the action before saying, "I believe in you, Brandon."

The corners of her lips fall back into a straight line as she continues, "And I know that's terrifying to wonder about, the fact that someone out there thinks you can do good things, and you don't ever want to let them down. It's a lot easier to just lash out and close yourself off. The less people you let in, the less people you hurt. Like it or not, though, this family cares about you. Despite what you think, all of us believe in you. That's what freaks you out, isn't it? You're so used to being on your own and not having anyone to rely on that it scares you to be at a point where that's not the case. You shut yourself off and assume everyone's going to give up on you, and I know, because I used to feel the same way."

In a voice just above a whisper, I ask, "How did you stop?"

Looking at me with those brown eyes, Callie answers, "I put faith in myself, and I realized that I wasn't alone. I didn't just have people to back me up. I had a family. The day I walked through their door, Stef and Lena saved my life, and I think they can do the same for you."

Hanging my head down to look at my lap, I admit, "I shouldn't have yelled at them."

She nods before replying, "We all know what it's like, you know. Every Foster in this house knows exactly how it feels to have the universe against us."

When I hear her take in a stiff breath, I glance over and stare at her curiously. After a few seconds, she further explains, "Even though they have a good relationship now, Mike and Stef had a messy divorce. He was turning into an alcoholic, always slipping vodka into his coffee during work, and she was being looked down on by her family for choosing a woman over her husband. Mike sorted himself out, thanks to AA meetings, and people started accepting Lena and Stef's relationship. Eventually, they decided that they wanted a baby. Using a sperm donor, Lena became pregnant. A few months passed, and... She had a miscarriage."

My eyebrows slightly rise in shock as Callie continues, "Stef met Mariana and Jesus at the police station. She and Lena fostered them for about six months before they realized that those two were just as great as any biological child would be, so they adopted them. I know the twins seem put together and complete, but you don't know the half of it. They never really got over their mom choosing drugs over family. Years later and it still haunts them."

Rubbing her hands together, she goes on, "Then Jude and I came along. We were broken as can be, believe me. Our mother was dead, our father was in prison. We bounced from house to house, nowhere being too permanent. The moms started fostering him after I was arrested, and when I was released, they let me stay here. I used to be just like you but worse, never talked, never smiled. I didn't want to get attached, because I thought that it would all be ripped away soon enough."

Turning to me with a sad gleam in her eyes, she finishes, "You're not the only one who feels pain, so don't be a jackass."

A chuckle falls out of my mouth, a smile playing on hers. "Thank you, Foster."

Seeing her furrowed eyebrows, I add, "For not giving up on me just yet."

Letting out a small laugh, Callie responds, "We outlaws have to stick together, right?"

* * *

[Jude]

"Finished!"

I yank out my earphones and pump my fist into the air, satisfied at myself for completing my research project two days early. Looking around, I sigh and mumble, "And there's no one around to be happy with."

I shut the thick textbook in front of me, notebook paper still inside, and hop up from the chair, joy still dancing around in my stomach. A bright grin beaming from my face, I walk around the dining table and down the hallway, eager to share the news with Callie. When I reach the staircase, though, the smile falls from my face. On the steps sat her and Brandon, laughing. He reaches over to brush hair away from her face, and I can feel anger swelling up in the pit of my stomach, although I'm not sure why. After she bites her bottom lip, my older sister, noticing me, turns her head towards my direction.

Standing up, she greets, "Hey, buddy."

Brandon does the same, grinning at me. I ignore his gaze, knowing that I'd give him a cold, hard stare if I looked at him. Instead, I focus on Callie questioning, "You okay, Jude? You look like Jesus when someone takes the last strip of bacon."

Easing the muscles in my face, I lie, "I'm, um, just mad at Mariana for kicking me out of my own room."

"I don't think it'd be best to go back up right now. They're still pretty heated at each other."

I nod and stutter, "Y-yeah, okay."

She gives me a look, as if analyzing my strangeness, but shakes it off and waves before spinning around and heading up the stairs. Brandon smiles at me before following. Once he's out of my eyesight, I roll my eyes and walk back to the dining room.

Why did he touch her face like that? Do they like each other? No, no way, that's not even a possibility. Callie's dating Wyatt, and Brandon's her foster brother. Why do I care, anyway? It's not like I'm jealous or anything. She's _my_ sister, and we'd never put someone else before each other... right?

**I feel like I did a really mediocre job at the Brallie scene and the ending. Sorry, guys. Hope you enjoyed, though! Remember, all of this took place the same time as Chapter 19, when Mariana and Jesus are arguing. **

**Be sure to review your comments, suggestions, and theories!**


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